A Brother's Curse
by DarkenedSunlight
Summary: <html><head></head>AU of sorts, placed mid series. Ed's been hurt by the one closest to him, with no where left to go he turns to Mustang as a last resort. Mustang plans to set Ed right again but can he set someone so messed up right again? Will they both find what they have been looking for? Rated T For Ed's mouth. Parental Roy!Ed Parental Hohenheim!Al.</html>
1. Chapter 1

"Brother if you would just listen to me!" Alphonse shouted at his older brother.

Ed turned his head around to look back at Al and glared. "If you want me to listen you should stop telling me to and get on with it already."

"Well it's kind of hard to talk to you when you're busy walking away from me!" Alphonse said heatedly.

Ed looked around briefly, seeing as there was no one on the street currently, he stopped and faced his younger brother. No, not just his younger brother. As hard as Ed tried to ignore him he couldn't stop seeing Hohenheim standing just a few feet away from them, waiting. "I don't want anything to do with that bastard!"  
>"But Brother! He knows how to get our bodies back!" Alphonse pleaded.<p>

"I don't give a damn about what he knows! I'll find another way to get our bodies back!" Ed crossed his arms over his chest and shivered slightly from the cold breeze. His automail ports ached and the sky didn't look too promising. He'd need to get inside soon or get violently sick from the pain.

"Brother, you're letting your emotions cloud your judgement. If you just listen to what he has to say-"

"I won't listen! No!"

"Quit acting like a child!"

Ed's temper flared like a fire on a cold winter's night. "Oh yeah, because I act like one so often don't I? After all every child would join the military and spend his childhood raising his little brother as best he can!"

"I can take care of myself, Brother! At least I didn't lose my body!"

The fire died as quickly as it came. Ed's eyes widened marginally and his breathing quickened slightly. "What do you mean?"

Hohenheim saw the warning signs in the way Ed stood, he saw the hunch to his son's shoulders; as though a great weight rested on top of them. He tried to stop Al from speaking, but it was too late by that point.

Al saw none of the signs, he saw only the red haze in his vision which was the anger that clouded his judgement. "I mean at least I didn't think it was a good idea to bring mom back! At least I didn't lose your arm, leg, and my whole body! At least I'm searching for a way to fix it unlike you! You turn down every single way we find to get our bodies back!"

"Its not my fault," Ed whispered, feeling as though he was being ripped to shreds from the inside out.

"Of course it's your fault! It's always been your fault! You're so stupid, Brother!" Al huffed and then spoke more calmly. "I'm going with dad to get my body back. You're welcome to come with us, but we are leaving. Come on dad."

"Al-" Hohenheim started to say.

"What?"

"I think you should look at Ed for a moment, just look."

Al did so just as Ed turned tail and ran, red coat flapping in the wind. It was at that moment that the full implications of what Al said registered in his mind, he had just blamed Ed for everything. He knew Ed had always blamed himself, now he probably just took away the last support Ed had. All that weight was coming down, down onto his brother.

"Ed! Ed wait!" Al yelled out, using the full power of the lungs he didn't have.

Ed heard the yells behind from that bastard and Alphonse, they told him to stop and wait; he wouldn't wait though. He wasn't wanted anymore, Al had Hohenheim; he'd be safe. Al believed that Hohenheim could get his body back; Al trusted Hohenheim. That wall all well and good, Al didn't need him anymore. And since Al didn't need him why should Ed wait and listen to what he has to say?

Answer; he shouldn't. So Ed kept running as fast as his legs would carry him.

Roy Mustang had just successfully procrastinated from having to do his paperwork on this dreary day. It had taken all of 4 hours to devise the perfect exit strategy from Hawkeye's gun range, now he was home free. He owed Havoc and Falman 500 cenz each but that was okay. He also needed to return a zebra to the Central zoo but that wasn't any real issue… At least, he didn't hope so.

He lived relatively close to HQ so despite the blasted rain, he chose to walk home. Now, he was a trained soldier and state alchemist; he had been trained to expect anything to happen. So it only half surprised him when, as he was rounding a corner, a red blur ran straight into him; knocking him to the ground. While being trained his reflex and recover-time became unassailable as well and so it was that he reached out and grabbed hold of the blur before it could scramble away. With the ceasing of movement the blur became a red eyed Fullmetal, tears running down his face.

"Let go you bastard!" Fullmetal said, trying to pull himself free from the Colonel's grasp. There were distant calls of "Ed!" and "Brother!" Fullmetal looked behind him and Roy could see the fear in the boy's eyes. Thinking quickly as he got to his feet, careful not to let go of Fullmetal. Seeing as there were two voices calling for him, one being Alphonse's; plus the tears on the kid's face it was not at all hard to guess what was going on.

"Come on," Mustang said tugging the boy down the alley next to them. Fullmetal struggled at first but soon was following as the Colonel led him down a twisting maze of alleyways and shortcuts that could boggle anyone's mind. "I do hope for an explanation on what's going on," Mustang grumbled as he stopped before a door. Pulling a key out of his pocket he inserted it into the lock and twisted. Pulling the door open he gestured with his head for the boy to enter. He did so, giving Roy a shrewd look; Roy followed him in, making sure to lock the door behind him.

Turning on the lights revealed a kitchen equipped with a table and two chairs. Out a doorway to the side you could see a cozy living room with a large fireplace and a staircase leading upstairs. "Where are we?" Fullmetal asked cautiously, his flesh arm rubbing his eyes hurriedly.

"My house, pipsqueak," Mustang said, striding by him with a self-satisfied smirk; awaiting the inevitable rant. None of his military training could have prepared him for the silence that followed his sentence. No yelling, no grumbling, no rants; it was disconcerting to say the least. Turning back to look at the boy he saw only his back as the kid had turned to face the wall while he wiped away his tears.

His heart went out to the kid and he sighed, long and slow. "Take the load off while I get us something to drink. Don't think you can run away either, not until I get my explanation." Fullmetal looked over his shoulder; after looking at Roy for a moment with the gold-red eyes he nodded. While the kid seated himself in one of the chairs Roy was raiding his fridge. Settling on the gallon of orange juice Roy poured two glasses.

Sliding one across the table to Edward, he took his seat and waited. Edward looked at his drink suspiciously before sipping it carefully. It seemed to have passed his test because the boy proceeded to down it in three mighty swallows. "Thanks," he said when he was done.

"Now talk."

Fullmetal gulped audibly and gave a small nod. "It started about a week ago when Al and I had just… completed our last mission."

Roy nodded, he remembered the poorly written report he had received for it; another failure like usual. No stone found but the job was done excellently if you didn't think about the collateral damage of three wrecked buildings and the desecration of a graveyard.

"Well Al wanted to know when we were going to try something new to get our bodies back. He had been talking for a while of alternative methods and we have done research on it but nothing really came back. We didn't fight about it often but it did come up after a while. Then Hohenheim showed up and well… things went downhill from there. Al wanted to have Hohenheim help with the research and wanted to travel with him for a while and I didn't want to because he was a self-righteous bastard."

Roy winced at Edward's choice of words but let him continue nonetheless.

"So today Al told me at breakfast that he was leaving with Hohenheim on the train this evening. We fought for a while then he-" The boy's voice caught in his throat here and he coughed to clear it. "He said its my fault and so I just… I don't know, I did what came to mind first. I just ran away."

Edward looked at Roy almost sheepishly. "You're not going to find Al and drag me back to him and Hohenheim are you?"

Roy didn't respond for a second, just sat back in his chair and processed. He was half tempted to drag the boy by his ear back to his brother. It was a stupid argument to start with, so Alphonse's tongue slipped up? He couldn't have meant it, could he? No, it was best the brothers worked their problems out with their father. He made to stand but something in Edward's face caught his attention. The boy seemed to have known where his thoughts were headed because he had tensed up like a coiled spring, ready to flee at the first sign. Roy saw the stark fear in Edward's face and it took a moment to realize why he was so shocked to see the boy like this. It was because he never showed fear. It had always been anger, anger to cover up the fear he felt inside.

Edward had always been strong willed, and it was always a question where such strength came from. Now Roy realized that it came from Alphonse, the need to be the adult of the family drove the boy to lengths no boy should have to go to. Now that Alphonse was gone Fullmetal's walls were all coming down, revealing the boy beneath. Roy let go of the breath of air he had been holding, he couldn't force Edward back.

"You can hide out here for the time being then," Roy said at length. "I'm not very happy about what went down with you and your brother. It's a stupid argument and it isn't really worth avoiding him for."

Fullmetal opened his mouth, his eyes flashing dangerously. Roy held up a hand to stall the impending outburst of unadulterated rage. "But, I'm not in your place now am I? I can't very well go about telling you how to live your life when I'm not living your life. So I won't."

Roy stood up and pulled his spare key out of his pocket. Tossing it to Edward he said, First door on the left up the stairs is yours. Decorate it however you wish but if I see anything of yours outside of the door it'll be incinerated. Dinner is at six and I leave for work in the mornings around eight." With that Roy walked by Edward, intending to head up to his room and take a shower. As he walked by Edward reached out with his flesh arm and gripped his sleeve.

Edward refused to look at him, his hair obscuring his eyes. "Thank you," he said softly.

"Anytime, Fullmetal. Anytime," Roy said by way of reply.


	2. Chapter 2: A New Day

Thank you to anyone who took the time to read this story and especially to those who took the time to give me a review, It means a lot :) 

The next morning Roy awoke twenty full minutes before his alarm. At first he was downright furious at whatever had woken him up. He was a practical man, and any practical man valued his sleep; losing such sleep was much like losing a part of your life. So naturally he was ready to set something on fire. That was until he smelled what it must have been that awakened him. Pancakes.

He couldn't his mouth from watering. It had been years since he had something so simple as pancakes. First Ishbal then his duties as a Colonel had kept him far too preoccupied to do something like make pancakes. Then the Elric boys had come into the picture and all thoughts of luxury went out the door.

Thinking about the Elric brothers he remembered that he now had one under his own roof. That meant it was Edward who had made pancakes. That meant… Edward could cook? Roy couldn't believe that without first seeing proof. So, making himself roll out of bed, he left his room dressed in pyjamas to investigate the phenomenon.

When he poked his head around the corner to peer into the kitchen he half expected there to be a fire or at least smoke from Edward burning the food. None was there though, rather just a boy at the table nibbling slowly on a single pancake while reading a book. across the table where Roy sat was a large stack of pancakes, steam still rising off of them.

Coming fully into the kitchen Roy raised a quizzical eyebrow and let a small smirk slide onto his face. "Well, well, it seems the Fullmetal Alchemist can cook. Hard to imagine someone so _short_ could even reach the ingredients they need."

Roy waited patiently for the outburst, hoping today would be more fruitful than the previous. Once more he was disappointed as all Edward did was look up at him and say, "Good morning."

Roy huffed in irritation, "Are you ever going to respond to my jibes again? Or are you just going to use this new mature attitude of yours and ignore it. Hard to imagine someone with such a short fuse learning to be patient."

"If it makes you feel better I can, but honestly it just hasn't gotten to me of late." Fullmetal shrugged nonchalantly, "Guess I have bigger concerns than that now."

Roy blinked a couple times and repeated Edward's last sentence in his head a couple times. Unable to understand if he heard right he asked, "Did you just make an indirect short pun at yourself?"

Now it was Ed's turn to smirk. "Why, Mustang. I have no idea what you're talking about. Are you sure you aren't reaching here?"

Roy shook his head and Edward laughed out loud. "Anyway, now that I'm finished screwing with your brain; the plate over there's for you but don't blame me if you're not a fan of pancakes."

Taking his seat, Roy carefully took a bite from the large stack of pancakes. They tasted delicious, warm and fluffy; reminiscent of Saturday morning. "Where did you learn to cook?" Roy asked around a second bite.

"I never did," Edward replied, his attention turned back to the book he was reading. "I just transmuted the ingredients into the food. Never did it before so it was a bit of a long shot; but I figured. Hey if I can turn cloth into clothes then I can turn food into meals."

Roy looked down at his food and examined it more closely, checking for transmutation marks. None were to be found on the food though, at least none visible to the eye. "Amazing," he murmured appreciatively, he was a Flame Alchemist so he didn't transmute objects often. It was always surprising to see what other branches of the age old science could accomplish. "I never thought Alchemy could be used for such… mundane purposes."

"That's because Amestris focuses on using Alchemy as a weapon. Xing uses Alchemy for medical purposes, the exact opposite of Amestris Alchemy. No one ever really considered a middle ground between destruction and healing."

Roy nodded and the table of two fell silent save for the sound of Roy's fork hitting the plate when he cut, or the sound of pages being turned as Edward read. Midway through his meal Roy had to break the silence. He never really had guests, much less temporary roommates. It was awkward and uncomfortable for him.

"What are you-"

"Hey did you-"

Edward and Roy stared at each other across the table for a long moment. "You first," Edward said at length, his bangs falling forward to obscure his eyes.

"I was going to ask what you planned to do today. I mean with Alphonse looking for you public places wouldn't be the best places to be."

"I was about to ask if you needed a hand down at the office, I mean unless you had a mission for me or something," Edward said sheepishly.

Roy allowed a small, real, smile to spread across his face. "Sure thing, I'm sure we can find something for you to do."

"Thank you, sir," Edward said, smiling.

Roy's hand froze in the process of lifting the fork with food to his open mouth. Edward's head had dropped back down to his book and so he did not see Roy's look of utter shock. Roy knew right at that moment that despite how well Fullmetal was behaving he was by no means alright. He no longer responded to short jokes, he made Roy breakfast, and he had said _sir_. No, something was going on in that boy's head that shouldn't be. Roy made a silent vow to get to the bottom of this and get his subordinate back to normal as soon as possible.

O.O.O.O.O.O.O

Alphonse sat down at the park bench with a heavy sigh that was as fake as the body he had. His father sat beside him with an equally heavy sigh, placing his head in his hands. "I'm such an idiot," Alphonse said woefully.

"No, you were just angry. It is not your fault Edward took it too far and ran away."

"Do you think he'll come back?" Al asked in a small voice that to any passing stranger would sound odd, coming from a large suit of armor like him.

"I don't know," his father replied honestly. "I haven't been around like I've wanted to be and so I have no idea how Edward reacts to these things. You've lived with him all your life, you should know."

"Brother and I don't get in fights often, not so bad that _he_ is the one running off anyways." They had spent all of last night looking for Brother. Al had taken the haunts he and Edward frequented, HQ, the local noodle shop, the first branch library(Though he was stopped at the door because he wasn't a state alchemist), and their old dorm room; meanwhile their father had taken to the streets, calling out Brother's name and generally upsetting the people who were trying to sleep.

What if Brother didn't come back? Did Brother hate him for what he had said? What if he ran off and got hurt? Or worse yet, tried to prove he didn't need Al by him and died for it? Alphonse didn't think he could live with the guilt should Brother die while away from him. Then his mind carried him to more childish thoughts that were probably never going to happen. What if Brother found someone to replace him? What if he wasn't needed anymore? What if Brother didn't care about Al anymore?

Even though Al couldn't show emotions he had his own sort of body language that allowed anyone to tell how he was feeling at that moment. His father must have read into Al's thoughts because he set one hand on Al's forearm, an empty gesture as he could feel none of his father's warm touch. "I'll bet though that Edward, being the strong boy he is, will come to see reason and come back."

Looking up to the sky Al considered his brother. His fiery temper, the loyalty to his friends, his guilt, all the things that made Al look up to him; and all the things that made Al laugh at him. At last Al said quietly to the fading stars, "I don't think it's going to be that simple."

They were both silent for several minutes, watching the sky turn gray as the sun rose behind the towering buildings of Central. Then at last his father stood and offered his hand to help Alphonse up, another useless gesture. "Come on, shouldn't Edward's superior at least know about his disappearance? That Mustang fellow, I think his name was."

Alphonse did a mental face palm. "Of course! If anyone could find Brother it'd be the Colonel and his team." Standing up Alphonse started walking with his father out of the park and towards HQ to consult the Colonel.

"Hey dad," Alphonse said after a moment. "Why do you keep treating me like I'm human?"

"What do you mean?" His father asked, a frown forming on his face.

"I mean the way you grabbed my arm earlier and also how you offered me your hand just a minute ago."

"Just because you can't feel doesn't mean I, or anyone else for that matter, should treat you as less than human. You have been and always will be a human, Alphonse, always."

Alphonse inwardly beamed over at the man he was proud to call his father. "Thanks dad, that means a lot to me."

"Anytime, Alphonse, anytime," his father said by way of reply.


	3. Chapter 3 Illness

A.N: Thanks again to everyone who reviewed, faved, and followed my measly piece of literature. I'm happy to have received such glowing reviews from all of you and hope for those who didn't review but did read that they found something enjoyable in my story. Oh and sorry for the failed upload! My copy/pasting skills need some work apparently Thank you for bringing up the concern!

Disclaimer since I forgot in the last few chapters and I don't want to be sued: I do not own FMA in this chapter or anyone before or after, now then. On with the story :)

When Ed and Mustang left the house Ed had to fight the urge to hide behind something. The night before had been a long war with himself. Several times he had left the guest room of Roy's house, fully planning on returning to Alphonse and apologizing for his actions. Each time though he made it to the door before something halted him. He just couldn't go back, Al hated him right now and Edward had no inclination to go crawling back to him. He loved his brother more than life itself, but if Alphonse was going to hate him; Ed would respect that decision and keep his distance.

Granted that line of thinking did not explain his urge to hide behind Mustang as they sauntered down the street to HQ. His muscles were tense and his eyes had the habit of darting left and right each time they turned a corner. His heart would skip a beat every time some piece of metal or other caught the sunlight, each time thinking it was the metal of Alphonse's armor.

None such thing happened though, rather he only earned himself some askance glances from the famous Colonel Bastard. Ed was pathetically grateful though that he said nothing as they walked down the streets of Central. As they continued Edward tried not to think about how he'd react if he saw Hohenheim or Alphonse, tried not to picture if he'd act upset or apologetic for running away. Despite that though he could not block out such thoughts and so by the time they were walking up the steps of the Command Center, Edward had a thin sheen of sweat gathered from shear stress.

The stress he was under must have been fairly apparent because as the walked up the steps Mustang put a hand on his shoulder. Whether to offer comfort or support should Ed collapse, he knew not. When they walked through the doors the receptionist clerk looked up at them, recognition dawning on their face. The lady looked first to the Colonel, then to Edward, then to the hand on Ed's shoulder. Edward looked up at Mustang to see the man scowling darkly; the receptionist wisely turned their head back to some suddenly very interesting documents.

Roy let his hand fall off Ed's shoulder and a small pang ran through his chest. Ed frowned slightly at the feeling of loss. He brushed it off quickly and followed his commander as he made to the elevator. "You realize the receptionist is going to talk," Ed said carefully as the elevator doors slid closed on the two of them. Mustang leaned back against the wall and let the scowl deepen on his face, "I don't care," he stated almost petulantly.

Edward smirked up at the man for his tone of voice, but didn't say anything. It was only at that moment he realized how backwards they were right at the moment. With him smirking like the Colonel Bastard himself, and Mustang scowling like he was Ed confronted with a short joke or milk. That only made Ed smirk broaden which made it worse. It was probably the stress getting to him but somewhere between the 3rd and 4th floor he had to fight off waves of giggles that threatened to break his cool exterior.

If Mustang noticed any of his inward struggles he didn't show it or say anything. When they reached the 7th floor the elevator stopped and the doors slid open. Mustang strode out followed quickly by Edward, who had to lengthen his stride in order to keep up with the man. They reached Mustang's front office where the rest of the team was already working.

Havoc, Breda, Feury, Falman, and Hawkeye all looked up as one to greet Roy with a loud chorus of "Good morning sir!" Edward had followed almost on Mustang's heels and now stood behind the man, making it so that none of the team could see him.

Mustang cleared his throat loudly, making the already looking eyes look at him again. "Listen up!" The Colonel said firmly. "For the time being the Fullmetal alchemist, Edward Elric, will be here on a regular basis. Should his brother Alphonse or his father Hohenheim come in search of him you are to tell them that he hasn't been seen. Am I understood?"

Edward had to give Mustang credit for coming up with the cover story. He hadn't even thought of Al coming here to look for him.. Still, it grinded on his nerves when the Colonel called Hohenheim his father.

The team for their part looked completely baffled. Havoc and Breda exchanged looks while Feury scratched his head in confusion. It was only Hawkeye, who was standing in one corner of the room with a gun in her free hand, that saluted smartly and said "Yes sir!"

At last Havoc looked to Mustang and said, "I guess we can do that, Boss. But where is Chief anyway?"

"Right here," Edward said hesitantly, stepping out from behind Mustang; but also not moving too far away. There was a small gasp from Feury as the team took in Ed's haggard appearance. He knew he looked like a mess, with his hair in a messing braid, dark circles under his eyes, and the rumpled clothes. He ducked his head in embarrassment, his cheeks turning warm. These things had never bothered him before yesterday but suddenly the smallest of things became important to him.

Edward felt Roy put his hand on his shoulder again and though Ed didn't look up to check, he was almost certain Roy was sending a warning scowl to the team. "Anyway," Mustang said at length. "We'll be in my office for the time being should anyone require us." As Roy led Ed to the inner office, Edward was stopped by Havoc who had grabbed a hold of his coat sleeve.

"If Boss tries to load you up on too much of his paperwork feel free to call for Hawkeye." Havoc said in a confidential whisper. "She'll set him in his place in a hurry."

Edward smiled at Havoc and nodded before proceeding into the office, not seeing the worried frowns on the team's face. Nor the look of fierceness on Hawkeye's face as she polished her gun.

O.O.O.O.O

Roy covertly observed his subordinate as he moved about the morning work. They had given him the simple job of going through documents on Roy's desk(Which Hawkeye was not happy with) and determining which were in desperate need of Roy's signature, and which could wait… well, until a later date. Edward had been working diligently on the couch he usually sat in; his back against the armrest with his knees pulled up to his chest, his work propped on his thighs as he read them. Roy had been very much disconcerted by the unusual quiet that filled the room. It ate at his nerves and made him wonder how Fullmetal could be so calm about such a loud silence.

The clock neared noon when Edward got up from the couch and carried his stack of papers over to Roy's desk, already awash in reports. "These three need your signature by noon," Edward reported quietly, his voice barely above a whisper. "Then this stack is needed by the end of the day, the rest can wait until next week at the latest."

Roy groaned as he looked at the papers, "I'd thank you," he said. "But at this point I wouldn't really mean it." Edward gave a small smile at that but Roy couldn't bring himself to leave it as that. "Tell you what," Mustang said. "Let me get these three documents signed and we can go out and get something to eat. You barely had any pancakes this morning so you must be starved."

Fullmetal opened his mouth to reply but was interrupted by Roy's phone going off. Roy gave the kid an apologetic look before picking the phone up and saying "Mustang speaking."

"Sir," it was the receptionist speaking. "I'm sorry to report but Alphonse Elric and another man are coming directly to your office without a guest pass. E.T.A; thirty seconds, I-"

Roy slammed the phone onto the receiver with a loud oath. Edward's eyes widened and then grew to the size of dinner plates when Roy told him his brother was coming. "Crap," Edward said, looking around rapidly for a place to hide.

Roy stood up and came around to the other side of his desk. "Get under the desk and stay under until I give say otherwise, got it?"

"Yes, sir," Edward replied. Hurriedly going around the side of the desk and crawling under. Roy shook his head at Edward's polite tone of voice, it was still disconcerting to hear such politeness from him. Edward wasn't under the desk for two seconds before the door to his office burst open to reveal a giant suit of armor followed by a blond haired man who could only be Hohenheim in the flesh.

"Colonel!" Alphonse cried out upon seeing Roy standing in front of his desk, trying to look nonchalant. "You must help us! Brother's gone missing!"

Roy raised an eyebrow, an action he judged was safe enough to do. "Fullmetal has gone missing? How long, he could just be out getting a bite to eat; or researching in the library."

Alphonse shook his head hurriedly. "He's been gone all night, sir. I checked the library and he never said he was going to go out to eat."

Roy frowned. Alphonse never mentioned the fight between him and Edward. "Well where did you last see him?"

Here Alphonse looked down at the ground, somehow looking abashed. "Well you see… Brother and I got in a fight and I said some things I didn't mean… I hurt him so he ran, sir. Now I can't find him!"

Roy leaned back against the desk and folded his arms across his chest. "Alphonse, let me tell you this honestly. Fullmetal… Edward, he's a smart kid. I'm sure he knows you didn't really mean it. Just give him some time and he'll come around I'm sure." Roy wondered if Edward was hearing any of this. He expected the boy to come out of hiding already and tell Alphonse that he was sorry to run away, but still no such thing happened.

"If I may cut in," said the blond haired man beside Alphonse. Ah yes, Roy thought to himself, here was probably why Edward didn't come out. "Sir, you do not entirely understand how dire it is we find my son, Alphonse's brother, as soon as possible."

"Then maybe you would be so kind as to enlighten me," Roy said, one hand sliding towards the pocket that contained his spark gloves.

Hohenheim saw the move and raised both hands defensively. "Easy, I don't mean any trouble. I just need to find my boy."

He's not 'your boy' anymore, Roy thought.

"-Edward's very ill."

Roy's thoughts snapped back to the present at those words, he hadn't really been listening to anything Hohenheim said until that point.

"What do you mean?"

"It's his alchemy, it's been poisoned."

Roy arched a very quizzical eyebrow at this. "Poisoned? How can one poison alchemy?"

"Lab 5," Alphonse said, "Red water, bad food."

"Trisha's sickness, human transmutation," Hohenheim added woefully.

Roy held up one hand to stall both of them. "You mean Edward's alchemy is poisoned because of lab five, red water, bad food, and the sickness his mother died of? Why did this not happen sooner?"

"It'd have happened later had Edward not been exposed to the red water and lab five. Because he's been through so much it's speeded up the process. Using alchemy makes it worse," said Hohenheim

"Does Edward know about this?" Roy asked despite knowing that if the boy didn't already he sure did now.

"He does but he won't listen," Alphonse said quietly.

"Worse yet he and Alphonse got in a large row before he ran off. Emotional strain is just going to make it worse on Edward."

"What are the symptoms?" Roy asked, buying time while he decided whether he should reveal his stowaway.

"Coughing, weariness, panic attacks, fever, headache, lack of appetite, vomiting, and memory loss," Hohenheim said matter of factly. "In that order."

"Well then I guess it is important we find Fullmetal A.S.A.P. Besides, his report is two weeks late," Roy said, his mind turning over the information. "I'll send out a search team and try to find him. No promises though since it has yet to be a full 24 hours. I'll make a note to have him transferred to a hospital should he be found, okay?"

"Thank you sir," said Alphonse, bowing.

"Sure thing Alphonse," Roy said, nodding his head in acknowledgement of the boy's gratitude. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have to make a few phone calls and then I must get to a meeting. If you'll both kindly excuse me."

"Of course, sir. Thank you for all your help, we'll be leaving now," Alphonse said, bowing again as he backed out of the room. Hohenheim had a suspicious look on his face and looked like he wasn't going to leave willingly. Thankfully Alphonse grabbed the man by the arm and literally dragged him out of the room.

When Roy was absolutely sure they were gone he ordered Edward out from under the desk. Edward crawled out from under and stood briefly, his knees wobbling. A look of fear was plastered to his young face as his whole body trembling like a leaf on the wind. Then his legs gave out and he collapsed into Roy's office chair. He held up one arm before his face, gazing at his hand as if it was foreign to him. Roy's heart went out to the boy who must be feeling lost at the moment.

Roy took a seat on the couch and looked at Edward who had lowered his arm and was now staring vacantly at the wall. Roy knew the look well, it was the look of someone who had just been given their death sentences. He had seen it in the faces of prisoners, and patients who contracted horrible diseases that the doctors could not cure. The latter scenario was sort of what the boy was going through now actually.

"Do you know what you're going to do about it?" Roy asked quietly.

Edward looked at Roy and he was shocked by how calm Edward looked, his gaze firm and direct. "Nothing," he said quietly.

Roy's heart nearly stopped in his chest. He had never heard Edward's voice so full of empty hopelessness. Never had it been so full of resignation, despair… indifference. It was almost as if he didn't care what happened to him. "You can't possibly mean that," Roy said. "I mean, I can understand your shocked and the situation seems hopeless but there has to be a cure for even this."

"You don't understand," Edward said, his eyes still glazed over. "This is the punishment for my crimes. Dying is how I can finally make amends for all the wrong I've done, all the people I've hurt…"

"You never did anything wrong though," Roy argued. "And everyone hurts someone at one point in their lives! Besides, how are you going to fulfill your promise to Alphonse if you're dead!"

Ed smiled a smile that sent shivers down Roy's spine. "That's the beauty of it, don't you see. Al finally has the resources he needs to get his body back." Edward put his automail arm to his chest. "My body and soul in exchange for Alphonse's body, what could be better?"

"Fullmetal, do you really think Alphonse would take his body back if he knew how he was going to get it?"

"Not at first no," Edward said with a slight frown. "I'd have to wait until Alphonse accepts the inevitable. Then he'd have to allow me to do it…" Ed's voice trailed off, lost in thought.

"And can you confront him now? Why did you not go to him?"

Ed shook his head in confusion, "I don't know. I don't want to see Al right now I guess. I'm not mad, I know he's not mad. Right now though I just don't want him to see me nor I him. Not until I'm close to gone at least, I want to see him before I start forgetting…"

"Edward Elric! You will listen to me this instant!" Roy barked, loud enough to snap Ed out of whatever trance he was in. The boy looked to him and Roy glared long and hard before speaking. "Your life is not something to be thrown away like yesterday's trash. Your crimes are nonexistent, you acted poorly in a situation that resulted in a mistake; you did not commit so heinous a crime that you should die. Alphonse will not take his body at the price of your own. I do not know any rule that states you should give your life up like this. Or your will to fight for it."

"Equivalent Exchange, that's the first law of alchemy. It states that something cannot be taken without giving something of equal worth first," Ed said in a dead voice.

"The world does not center on the law, no matter what you think Edward! Equivalent exchange does not work for everything in the world! People do things not for their own benefit but for others. This is rare, true, but it is out there."

"But-"

"What am I gaining right now from arguing with you?" Roy asked, cutting across any of Ed's protests. "I'm sitting here, wasting my time on you when your obviously suicidal. I wouldn't be receiving anything for this argument. It'd not be my fault should you die. Yet here I still sit, dealing with you. Why is that?"

"I don't know, sir," Edward said softly. Roy stood up and walked over to stand over Ed, making him turn his eye upwards to look at him. Roy set his hands on the boy's shoulders and looked him right in the eye before he spoke.

"I'm here because I care about what happens to you, Ed. I don't want to see you dying from sickness nor sacrifice. And I'm going to promise you now that I'll do whatever you need to get well again so you and your brother can get your bodies back to normal."

Had Edward been in his right mind he'd have scoffed at Roy's mushy speech. Had said something about old age making mushy brains. Sadly though Edward was scarred from both his fight with Alphonse, his personal demons, and now the knowledge of a disease eating away at him from the inside out. So rather than make a sarcastic remark Ed nodded his head, tears pricking in his eyes.

Thankfully for Roy, Edward didn't start crying then and there. Roy wasn't sure he could deal with a crying child just yet. Roy moved back from Edward and the boy stood up on still trembling, but firmer legs. "Are you going to find Alphonse and your father?" Roy asked.

"No need," Edward said, having moved to look out the window. "They're right down there standing outside the building."

Roy came to stand by Edward at the window, the sun glaring off the window pane effectively blocking them from sight. Down below he could make out the figures of Alphonse and Hohenheim, looking up at the building from the ground. Not seeing but somehow still managing to look directly at them.

"Will you go to them?" Roy asked, echoing his earlier question.

"No," Edward said with a tone of finality. "They can't help me now, and I cannot help them." There were definitely tears in his eyes now. "Al and I… I think we're going down separate paths. He wants to be with that bastard and I just can't bring myself to do so. Alphonse and Hohenheim can do their own search, they don't need me anymore. And I can do my own search, I don't need them."

"You can't mean that," Roy said softly.

"No, I don't mean that," Edward admitted. "What I mean is… I just can't anymore. It's better if they don't know anything of where I am… Just incase I can't fix it."

"You will," Roy assured him.

"I may not,"

"Then we will," Roy said, placing one hand on Edward's shoulder.

And down below Alphonse said to his father. "I don't think Edward will be coming home." Hohenheim did not miss how Alphonse called Edward by his name and not as Brother.

"How could he leave you like that though?" Hohenheim asked, not fully understanding this brother telepathy the two seemed to have.

"Because I have a father now and Edward no longer feels needed. He's gone off because of his guilt. Edward never did like being a burden."

"Weren't you two going to find a way to get your bodies back though? Together?"

Alphonse laughed lightly, positive to the very end. "We were but then again… I don't think it was ever Edward's intention to get his limbs back. He takes any blow dealt to him as punishment for what we did to mom. No, now that he knows you're here for me he doesn't need to find the stone with me anymore."

"So will we stop searching for him? Rather focus on getting your body back?"

"Of course not, we'll always be searching for him. For now though we should turn our attention to finding a cure for Edward, as well as a way to get our bodies back. Then we can worry about finding Ed himself. He believes he has to distance himself from us now. He probably thinks he doesn't belong anymore."

Alphonse looked up at the HQ, the sun glinting off his armor in the noonday sky. "I won't give up on Edward, even if he's given up on himself," the boy said firmly. The armor gave off the impression of steely determination, a trait normally left to Edward; Hohenheim had to wonder what must go through that kid's head half the time.

"We'll fix this," Hohenheim said, "I promise."


	4. Chapter 4 Plans of Action

The next day Ed woke up in a bed in a strange room. For an instant he felt hot panic course through his veins. Where was he? Where was Al? Then memory came back, quick and painful. Right, Alphonse was with Hohenheim now, and he was alone.

That wasn't entirely true though, after all he had Mustang who was willing to put up with him. I'm here because I care about what happens to you, Ed; that's what Mustang had said to him yesterday. He was still baffled by it, the Colonel had never given a rat's ass about him before and now he said he cared? Was it because he was suddenly labeled a dying man? Was there something so pitiful about his situation that Mustang of all people were willing to help him?

Ed also remembered himself breaking down like a pathetic child. Ed groaned and drew his knees up to his chest, pressing his forehead against his kneecaps. That was forever going to scar his memory, him falling apart in front of Mustang. He'd be lucky if the man ever let him live it down.

Ed pulled his head up when there was a light knock on the closed door to his room. "Coming," he called, climbing out from under the light blanket. Padding across the floor he opened the door to find Mustang there, dressed in casual clothing, holding a plate with scrambled eggs, sausages, and half of an apple.

"You slept in pretty late and I figured you'd be hungry," Mustang said with a shrug to Ed's quizzical look.

Ed responded without thinking about his words, "Thank you, sir. It's very kind of you." Ed took the plate and turned away hurriedly, but not quickly enough to miss the look of concern pass over his commander's face. Ed was perfectly aware he'd been acting odd lately, too polite and quiet for anyone's taste. Truth be told his anger was a guard against people, Al had always been the only company he needed. By being loud and obnoxious he held everyone at arms length. Yet there was something no one ever considered. He had been raised by Trisha Elric and grown up with Alphonse Elric, two of the nicest people in the world. There was no way one could grow up like that and not be a nice person. Being angry had taken effort for him at first, then it came naturally. These days though being so angry all the time just took too much energy, it was easier to just boggle everyone's mind by acting the way he was raised.

At least that was Ed's reason for acting polite all of the sudden. Scientifically speaking Ed's mood swing can be connected to his illness chemically altering his brain function. Or if he were to take a psychological approach it could be from the combined trauma of his life plus his fight with Alphonse, followed by receiving news of his approaching end. In the end though it didn't really matter to him, it was just the way he was right now and that was that.

Ed sat on the edge of his bread and began picking at his food, aiming to mix it together so much that Mustang couldn't tell how much he ate. His appetite had been lax recently, he knew he needed to eat since he fed both his own body and Al's in a weird way; but everything he put into his mouth tasted bland. He just couldn't find the will to eat.

Looking up Ed saw Mustang standing uncertainly in the doorway. Ed gestured with his fork to the chair by the desk across from him, "You're welcome to sit down you know," he said.

Mustang did so, nodding his thanks. They were silent for a few minutes, but it wasn't the awkward silence like before. Mustang was watching Ed and Ed was looking at his plate, making an effort to take a bite of food every now and then. At last it was Ed who chose to break the silence, "I was going to go out looking for a hotel in Central today. I'll need to buy some new clothes as well so people don't recognize me."

Ed knew that Mustang knew that when he said 'people' he meant Al. Mustang frowned "Why not just transmute some?" Right after the words left his lips his eyes widened slightly and he slapped a hand to his forehead, "Right sorry."

Ed smiled slightly, "It's okay, sir. I can't do alchemy right now if it makes whatever sickness I'm supposed to have worse. I'll have to get by some other manner."

"You know you don't need to leave as well," Mustang said. "You're welcome here as long as you want."

"I don't want to be a burden, sir," Edward said.

Mustang sighed, "Edward, quit calling me sir already; it's very disturbing coming from you."

"I'm sorry," Edward said sincerely.

Something tickled the back of his throat and Ed squashed the sudden urge to cough. He almost succeeded and instead made it sound like he was clearing his throat before speaking. "Look, si-... Mustang. Thank you for everything you've done for me over the past two days. But I think it's best if I get out of your, and your team's, hair."

"Edward what did I tell you yesterday? I'm not letting you face this matter alone. You are a part of the team whether you wish to be or not, and in the military we take care of our own."

Edward needed to cough really bad at this point and it was getting difficult not to. "Thank you Mustang," he said hoarsely. "If you don't mind I'd like to get changed now."

Mustang stood up and nodded, "Of course," he said. The man's obsidian eyes fell to Edward's plate of food that was still uneaten. "Are you not hungry?" he asked, his eyes echoing his concern. Edward nodded and made Mustang's frown deepen. "Your father said you wouldn't lose your appetite until later though…"

"Mustang, my not eating has nothing to do with my apparent disease. And if you don't mind can you not call Hohenheim my father? That bastard has absolutely no claim to my life."

Mustang looked at Ed in surprise before slowly nodding, "I understand."

"Thank you." With that Mustang left the room, shutting Ed's door behind him. Ed listened to Mustang's retreating footsteps and once he judged the man a safe distance away, Ed began to cough violently. The coughs were hard and fast, tearing at his lungs like miniature bombs located in his chest. It hurt, but he made himself bear it; muffling the sound as best as he could.

When the fit subsided Ed pulled on his black shirt and changed into his black leather pants. He braided his hair quickly and left the room to search out Mustang. Today was Saturday so there was no work to go to unless it was an emergency that required his attention. So it was that Ed found Mustang in the kitchen with his red coat and a transmutation circle. He arrived just in time to see the blue alchemic light as Mustang conducted the transmutation. When it was done Mustang stood, lifting the now white coat.

"I thought I'd be able to conduct the transmutation, though this isn't my specialty."

"It's fine, thank you, Mustang," Ed said; accepting the coat. Pulling the coat on Edward walked to the living room where over one wall Mustang had a map of Amestris. "I think I'll travel here," Edward said pointing a little off the map to Xing. "Their Alkahestry may be able to cure whatever I have."

Mustang eyed the map with a dubious glance. "That's a long way out and past the desert, I'm not sure that's in your best interest at the moment."

Edward shrugged, "I don't have much of a choice at the moment, I need to get a cure that I don't believe an average doctor can give."

"Why don't we stay a little closer to home for now, I can contact some people in Xing and see if anyone is willing to come out here."

"How would you convince them of that though? I mean advertising, 'hey we have a sick alchemist out here that needs help, but don't worry he's the almighty Edward Elric!' Doesn't really sound all that enticing."

"Not when you phrase it that way," Roy said; flicking Ed in the back of the head casually. "You need to give it more spice. Now if you said 'the fullmetal alchemist needs someone who knows alkahestry to help him; honor for your clan,' there may be a different story. Just give me some time."

Edward considered it, honestly he wasn't really looking forward to going to Xing. The desert wasn't his favorite place to start off with, besides that though he felt a bit lethargic. "Alright," he said at last. "I'll give you some times, then I'm going off if you can't find anything."

"Sounds fair," Mustang agreed. They shook hands on it and then Ed suddenly realised that he had nothing else planned.

"So uh… what do we do now?" he asked sheepishly.

O.O.O.O.

Alphonse sat beside his father in the roofless jeep as they drove out of Central. They had spent yesterday in the library after their confrontation with Mustang. They had needed to do a small amount of research on Edward's ailment before setting out. It became apparent very quickly to his father that there was only one course to take to relieve Ed of his burden. He wouldn't discuss it with Al, having found what he had been looking for, just going about ordering Al and expecting him to listen.

And he had listened, despite the itch in the back of his neck at not knowing what was going on. He had chosen to trust his father and follow him; something Edward would scream at him for. Al sighed, if brother was here he'd never follow their dad; even if he didn't hate his guts. No he'd have made dad tell him what was going on first, in excruciating detail; and only then would he have gone along.

Al hardened his heart as he sat there; he'd make his father tell him now or he'd not go another step. "Dad," Al said.

Hohenheim looked over at his son with upturned eyebrows at the tone Al used. "What is it, son?"

"Where are we going, what are we doing when we get there, and how will this help Brother?" Alphonse demanded in one fluent rush.

Credit to his dad for not even hesitating before responding. "We are going to the ruins of Xerxes between Xing and Amestris. What we are doing is some very complicated alchemy to get you your body back. And it doesn't directly benefit Edward but I'm sure he'll feel better knowing your normal again."

Al would have gaped had he been able to. "We're really going to get my body back? But Brother and I have been searching forever and-" Al metaphorically clamped his mouth shut. "Nevermind. Brother comes first and then we'll take care of my body and whatever may come next."

"I'm glad you feel that way Alphonse but first things first and that's getting you your body back. I don't know how to help your brother right now but I know how to help you and so that's just what I'm going to do."

Al had a warm feeling in the center of his soul upon hearing that from his father. He was glad his father cared about him so much as to go out of his way to help him. He knew he wasn't being good to Brother but as he sat back in his seat again he couldn't help feeling guilty for not devoting himself so completely to helping brother. As he began to turn his thoughts away from the matter he heard his father say softly. "It's not as if Edward doesn't have anyone there for him right now."

Alphonse mentally frowned at the statement he probably wasn't supposed to hear. What had his father meant by that? He thought at first it was said in sarcasm, because Edward was alone back at central; or wherever he was. Yet his father hadn't sounded sarcastic or remorseful, rather he sounded jealous. Why would that be?


	5. Chapter 5 Nightmares

So thanks for all the pleasant reviews I've received as well as liking/favoriting the story. :) Makes me happy ^-^

That day had gone better than either Edward or Roy had expected, that was up until Ed fainted. They hadn't had anything to do and the country was relatively stable for that day and so they both had the day to themselves. Roy made arrangements for someone from Xing to come out here and help Edward. Edward for his part had invaded Roy's library and stuffed a bunch of books into his suitcase. When Roy was done he packed lunch for the two of them and they went to Central park where Roy left Ed to his own devices while he attended to some local errands at the marketplace.

When Roy had completed his errands(Mainly shopping for things he'd need in his house now that Edward was around), he had dropped the stuff back off at his place before returning to the park to search out Edward who was ordered to stay put. Roy was half shocked to find Edward had remained in the same place, he had honestly expected for him to go running off and getting a building destroyed. Rather he found Edward under a tree on his stomach, asleep on top of a book he had been reading in the shade. It was getting towards late evening, the sun setting slowly; more importantly though it was getting close to dinnertime.

Roy climbed the hill to where Edward was and shook the boy gently to get him awake. He frowned slightly as the boy refused to respond to his touch. Roy carefully removed the book from his hand and placed it to the side before rolling Edward onto his back. Then he noticed the sweat that covered Edward's head and the way his eyes rolled beneath their lids. He knew the signs of a nightmare well, having gone through Ishval he had his fair share of them. So very carefully he knelt beside the boy and began shaking him again; trying not to frighten him to much. It didn't do him much good though as the boy still refused to wake.

"I'm sorry," Ed whispered in a broken voice. It pulled at the heartstrings in Roy that Edward on a normal day would swear didn't exist. He didn't know for certain but he had a good idea on what the boy was having a nightmare about. Suddenly Ed's hand reached out and snatched Roy's sleeve, making the man jump out of his skin. He thought for a moment that Ed was awake but that was proven to be false as the boy's eyes were still glued shut. "Al… Mom… Nina… Hughes…Roy… Everyone, I'm so sorry, it's my fault…"

"Ed," Roy said without thinking. "It's not your fault, you couldn't have known." Well honestly before today Roy had thought that Alphonse and his mother were Ed's fault. Not Nina and Hughes though, the boy couldn't have helped that; he'd never knew.

"My fault…"

"It's not, now wake up Edward or I swear I'll slap you awake!"

O.O.O.O.O

Normally Edward's nightmares consisted of him being a kid again, well more of a kid than he was now. He was always inside his house as it was burning to the ground, he could hear himself outside talking to Alphonse, Winry, and Pinako. He'd call out to them from inside, and he knew that they heard him, but they didn't listen. Because the Ed trapped inside the house was a part of their mistakes, a part of their shame. A part that he didn't like to acknowledge. In his dreams and in his dreams only did he allow himself to be weak. He never was allowed to show weakness outside of his dreams, he couldn't afford to be weak.

This dream though was different from the other's he experienced. He wasn't in his house, he was at a graveyard on a sunny day. He had both his arms and legs in the flesh and stood before a row of tombstones. He was dressed in a black tuxedo, one he hadn't worn since the day his mother died. Another thing that separated him from the previous nightmares, he wasn't a child; he was his own size.

Looking at the graves tears came to his eyes as he saw what they read. Ivy grew around one of them, obviously the oldest one there. He didn't need to move the fungal growth to know that it read Trisha Elric. On either side of her grave were graves reading Alphonse Elric And Van Hohenheim. Then in a line came Nina Tucker, Roy Mustang, Riza Hawkeye, Breda, Falman, Feury, Havoc, Winry, Granny, Hughes, Gracia, Elicia, Rose, and so forth listing everyone who had ever helped him or ever said a kind word. All the people who surrounded him were dead in order for him to get his body back and be allowed to live. They were dead because of him, they were dead because of his mistake.

Edward's vision became watery with tears as he walked down the line of graves until he came to a shaded part of the cemetery. Here a lone grave stood beneath a willow, separate from all the others that sat under the sun. This one he didn't need to read but did so anyway. Fullmetal Alchemist; Not Edward Elric, not Edward. Because he didn't deserve to be buried with his family, he didn't even deserve to be remembered by his name. Only by his title, only as a dog of the military.

Ed fell to his knees before the grave, tears streaming down his face. "I'm sorry!" He screamed as loudly as he could. "Al, Mom, Nina, Hughes, Roy, Everyone; I'm so sorry, it's all my fault!" He wailed and banged the ground with his human fists, smashing them long past the point where they should have started bleeding. He wished he could feel pain at that moment, enough pain to repay for all those who died because of him.

A hand fell onto his shoulder that caused him to cease his sobbing and movement. "Ed, it's not your fault, you couldn't have known." Ed looked up and behind him to find Roy dressed in a black tux looking at him sadly.

"You're not here," Ed whispered; confused beyond knowing. "You're dead, I saw your grave. You're gone, I killed you. It's all my fault you're all dead; my fault…"

Roy gave him a hard look, going Colonel on him. "It's not. Now wake up Edward or I swear I'll slap you awake!"

Ed felt tears running down his face again. He bowed his head in resignation. "You have all rights to hurt me, I won't hold it against you."

He looked up without moving his head to see Roy kneeling down beside him on the cold ground. "No," Roy said quickly. "I'm sorry Ed, I shouldn't have said that. You don't deserve to be hurt, you have nothing to make up for; you understand me?"

Ed shook his head, his shoulders quivering. "No; it's my fault Al's in the armour, mom… Nina shouldn't have died at all; I should have known. And Hughes died for Al and me and our search. No one should have to die for me! I'm not worth it!"

Edward was perfectly aware that he was in a dream talking to someone who wasn't really there. He was a smart person but rather than control his dreams like some people did when they figured out they were dreaming, he let his dreams play with him. He let them do as they wished and he rode along for the sake of it. The fact that he knew it was a dream was what made it so surprising when Roy slapped him across the face; it hurt. Dreams hadn't hurt physically before, had they?

"Edward! Listen to me this instant," Roy ordered harshly. Edward looked up into obsidian eyes, hard and angry. "People choose what they do in life. It's not your choice as to whether they should or should not help you, they chose to help you at the cost of their life. You are worth it, otherwise people would not have stuck by you. Hughes wouldn't have helped you if he had thought you weren't worth it. I would not be here now if I did not think you were worth it."

"Why do you care?" Edward asked pleadingly.

"Because I can," Roy answered. Suddenly Edward felt warmth all around him; like someone had just lit a fire right beside him. He closed his eyes and they didn't open again. Was this what death felt like?

O.O.O.O

Roy couldn't believe what he was doing. If it had been just three days before he'd not have been able to imagine it, now he could though. It was all too sudden, all too quick. He never in a million years thought he'd end up in this position.

Edward hadn't woken up, despite all of Roy's poking and prodding. Tears had begun leaking out of the sleeping boy's eyes which just made Roy's heart go out to him even more. He had continued to talk in his sleep, it even seemed like he had been responding to what Roy was saying. How could you talk to someone in your sleep though? Roy had kept talking though, hoping it'd wake Edward up. It didn't. Roy had become more distressed when Edward began muttering about his own worth. In a rebuke and an attempt to wake the boy, Roy had slapped him like he had threatened to. For an instant he thought it worked as Edward's eyes fluttered, but to no avail.

Finally Edward had asked him why he cared. Roy had been dumbfounded by such a question. He knew vaguely that no one Edward's age should ask that. They also shouldn't be blaming themselves so much. And so Roy did the first thing that came to mind, he pulled Edward into his lap and hugged the crying child close.

Edward had not awoken when Roy shook him. He had not awoken when Roy had spoken to him. He had not spoken when Roy slapped him. So when a small hand reached up and fisted his shirt, and a head with blond hair turned on it's own accord to sob into his chest; he was a little more than shocked. The second shock came as a realization, following on the heels of the first shock. Edward was awake and hadn't punched him in the face; that in itself was a miracle. Roy didn't know what to think, he didn't know what to do.

It took a second for some deep bone set instinct that people in their late 20's had. Once it came though he let it take over as his mind tried to grapple with logic. He made soft hushing noises and mumbled nonsensical words in a kind tone, trying to calm the sobbing child down. Caring seemed to have the opposite effect on the boy though as he only cried harder, and clung tighter. After a few seconds more of soothing Roy settled for letting Edward cry it out of his system. He was pretty damn sure Edward didn't get to be held by someone often; the boy probably needed this.

Normally Roy knew he would have yelled at Edward, told him to get up and fight again. Yes, that is definitely what he'd have done. Then again Edward would not have fallen to pieces before him if he was quite normal as well. So all he did was sit there as the sun vanished and the sky grew dark. He was astonished at how long Edward sobbed before quieting down at last. It had to have gone on for fifteen minutes at least!

When he was done Edward stayed a moment longer before pulling his head away from Roy's chest to look up at the man. He blushed and began trying to scramble off his lap, Roy pinned him down though until the boy ceased struggling. "Are you going to be okay?" Roy asked when Ed's struggles had ceased.

Ed bit his lower and lip and nodded but refused to speak. "If you're not okay," Roy said slowly, thinking his words carefully. "I'm going to be right down the hall, okay? If you need it."

"Thank you Roy," Edward whispered.

Roy let Edward go and the boy scrambled to his feet. Roy stood as well and, completely ignoring the wrinkles where Edward had gripped his shirt, and the wet spot which had absorbed most of the tears, asked Ed. "Ready to head back now?"

Edward stuffed his books back into his bookcase hurriedly before nodding and then the two set off back to the house in companionable silence. Roy was paying close attention to Ed as they walked. He noticed that the boy's breathing was uneven; a bit ragged to. Normally given that he had just spent fifteen minutes crying this wouldn't have been something to worry about though, would it? Roy wasn't sure until Edward was wheezing, not saying anything though.

Roy came to a stop and put a hand on Ed's shoulder to stop the boy as well. They stood under a streetlamp about a block from his house. The lights from Central filled the darkness and made it almost seem as bright as sundown. "Let's stop for a minute until you can breathe again," Roy suggested.

"I'm… Fine…" Edward gasped.

"No, your not. Now Edward have you-" Roy never got to finish his question because Edward took that moment to double over, a fit of violent coughs wracking his body. When Edward removed the hand he had used to cover his mouth it came away red. Roy's eyes bulged slightly, "Edward have you been coughing before this?"

Ed nodded silently, his eyes transfixed on the bloodied hand. "It was only today though, I didn't do it all that much even!"

"Let's just get you into bed okay Ed? Are you feeling okay aside from…that?"

Edward looked to think about it, cocking his head to one side as he considered it. "Just a little tired is all."

"That's not good," Roy said. "Let's just get back now, can you walk?"

"I think so," Edward said. Taking a hesitant step forward Edward stopped again. "Oh," he said as if he were surprised to discover something. "It appears I can't," then he fainted.

O.O.O.O

That night Al and his father camped under the stars. His father had been kind enough to transmute some sand into sticks so they could light a fire to which Al could read by. His eyes didn't get worse from having no light to read by, as he had none to worsen, but he still enjoyed reading by the light. It was one of the things that made him feel human still, and sometimes he needed reminders of that.

Before his father had turned in for the night he had stayed up for hours simply telling Al stories of the places he'd been and things he had seen. The stories made Al want to have adventures as well. It wasn't as if he and Brother didn't have their own share of adventures as it was, but that was all to a purpose. His dad traveled without want or need, aimlessly traveling for the sake of getting around; it sounded like a wonderful life. Yet these stories of traveling without rhyme or reason left something he needed to know.

"Dad," Al said; interrupting his father mid-sentence. "This is wonderful to hear and all. But if you traveled around for no reason… Well, why did you leave? Were you tired of us or something?"

"Absolutely not, Alphonse," his dad responded without missing a beat. "I left because there was something wrong with me physically, I didn't want you guys to see me like that. It was just something I needed to take care of that took a lot longer than I expected to heal. When it was done I came back though and that's why I'm here now."

Al nodded his metal head, accepting the response for what it was. He didn't get any details but he respected his dad's privacy. After that Al had been suckered into sharing some tales of him and Ed. It hurt Al a bit to talk about his Brother when he did not even know where he was. What was he doing now? Did he have a place to sleep? Was he warm enough? Did he get enough food to eat? What about the military, what were they doing to find him? It was of course a possibility that they had found him already, they just had no way to contact Al or his dad. They hadn't exactly left a number they could use to contact them. Before they had left Al had asked his dad if they should stop by the Colonel's office and inform him of where they were headed. He had been surprised at how angry his dad had become at the suggestion. He didn't want anyone to know about where they were going especially 'that bastard colonel'.

Watching his dad sleep now Al found it funny how much Ed was like him. It was more than the physical features, it was how close they were on an emotional level. They had the same mannerisms, same attitude towards certain things(The Colonel); and, as Al soon found out, had the same sleeping issues. It started out quietly enough with his dad shifting position and mumbling in his sleep. Al turned his attention back to his book, thinking nothing of it. Soon enough though his dad was fighting invisible demons in his sleep like Brother did at night.

Al sighed and closed his book, setting it aside. He stood and came to kneel beside his dad, looking down at the distressed face. In a few years time this could be brother's face, Al thought to himself. He hoped his brother wouldn't be so distressed by nightmares when he grew that old, but chances were they wouldn't ever leave him. Al carefully pulled his father into a hug, being careful not to hurt him with the sharper parts of his metal.

His dad struggled at first but quickly settled down and woke up. When Al was sure he was awake he released his dad. Reaching over Al passed his dad a canteen he had grabbed. His dad took a long drink from it. "Thank you Alphonse," he said when he was done drinking.

"No problem," Al replied lightly. "Brother gets nightmares all the time, ever since that day… The only way to wake him up is to hug him, if you try anything else it'll only pull him deeper into sleep. I figured it was the same with you."

His dad frowned in thought, "Why didn't anything else work?"

"Well," Al said slowly. "I didn't know at first so when Brother was busy turning in reports to the Colonel I'd slip down into the library and picked up some psychology books and read through them. I came to believe that brother only wakes up to hugs because when you shake him or yell at him his mental defences kick into gear and won't allow him to awake. He needs to know it's safe to be awake in order for him to wake up."

Al turned to look up at the stars above them, glittering like diamonds. "I wonder who's telling him it's safe to wake up now."

"I have a guess," his dad said slowly.

"I'm listening," Al responded quickly, hoping his dad wouldn't change his mind.

"I think that Colonel Mustang character is hiding Edward."

Al frowned at hearing that, "The Colonel willingly helping Brother without any personal gain? It doesn't exactly sound like it… Are you absolutely sure?"

His dad shook his head, "I'm not; it's just a suspicion."

"He didn't sound like he was hiding something when we were talking to him in his office."

"True," said Hohenheim, laying back down on his mat and closing his eyes. "But then again you didn't see the red cloth behind the desk."


	6. Chapter 6 The Silent Vow

Ed woke up the next day in his bed. It took him a few minutes to remember all that had happened yesterday but once it became clear he had to run through his memories again to be sure he had them right. He had broken down in front of Mustang? That didn't seem right, but the memory was right there; clear as the noonday sun. How low had he come to be willing to have break downs like that?

Shaking his head he swung his legs over the side of the bed and stood up. He was still in his clothes from yesterday, save the glove that he had coughed on. Ed went to his closet and opened it up, intending to get changed. He blinked at the closet for a minute. His black sets were still there like normal, but beside them were normal clothes that looked about his size. Jeans, T-shirts, and hoodies. He remembered Roy had yesterday left him in the park to go take care of some errands, had this been it?

Ed bit his lip, trying to decide on what to do. At last he pulled out a military blue hoodie and some jeans with a black T-shirt. He changed quickly and braided his hair hurriedly before exiting his room. He came to the living room where he saw Roy dressed in his military uniform, talking on the phone.

"Yeah I know, look I'll get there when I get there but I have some things to take care of," Roy was saying into the phone. Roy listened to what the other person had to say before sighing. "No, I'm not procrastinating from my work; I really am busy!" Roy looked about ready to blow up at what had to be Hawkeye on the other end. Ed took a step back, feeling like he was intruding, but too curious to leave fully.

"I'm staying at home for today, you can bring my paperwork down here and I'll give it back to you the next day; okay? I just can't make it to the office today." There was a long pause of silence in which Ed could only assume the person on the other end was giving Roy a telling to. Then, "I don't care if you come down here and hold me at gunpoint! I can't make it to work today and that's that. Now you can bring the paperwork down here or save it for tomorrow. Good day to you Hawkeye." With that Roy slammed the phone on the receiver and sighed. "I am so dead," he said to himself.

It was around then he noticed Ed standing in the entrance to the hallway, sort of in between staying and fleeing. Roy's eyes had been full of anger from his argument with Hawkeye, it shocked Ed when he saw those eyes soften upon seeing him. "Hey Ed," Roy said. "You shouldn't be out of bed you know."

Ed hesitantly stepped fully into the living room, deeming it safe to come out. "Sorry," Ed said quietly; followed swiftly by a small series of coughs. Roy came over quickly as he started coughing, guiding him to the couch where he had Ed lay down, head resting on some pillows that seemed to be placed there just for him.

"You've been coughing up blood since yesterday, Ed. I don't want you moving around a whole lot, okay?" Roy tossed a blanket over him as he spoke. Ed was a bit out of sorts with how nice Roy was being to him, but he had to admit he kind of liked it.

Ed nodded his head and leaned back into the pillow, feeling tired already. Roy vanished from view only to reappear a second later with a glass of orange juice which he set on the table beside the couch. "You hungry?" Roy asked him.

"Not really," Edward said softly.

Roy nodded and came around to sit on the other end of the couch by Ed's feet as Ed only took up two of the three spaces. "Well is there anything you need?" Roy asked kindly.

"No," Ed replied, a second later asking. "So is Hawkeye going to come murder you?"

Roy chuckled, "With my luck probably. If you don't die in the crossfire do you mind making sure I get a decent burial?"

Roy's words cut close to the memory of the nightmare from yesterday and made Ed shiver. "Don't say that," Ed said.

Roy seemed to understand that he had crossed an unknown line. "I'm sorry, that was a dumb joke."

"Yeah, it made my ears bleed," Ed joked. He coughed suddenly, forcing himself to sit up as he coughed. When he was done he took a long drink from the glass of orange juice before laying back down again. "Any word from Alphonse?" Ed asked.

"No word directly but its reported that he and Hohenheim left Central and headed in the direction of Xing."

Ed nodded to himself and yawned tiredly. Roy smiled a genuine smile at him, "Get some sleep, Ed. You need all the rest you can get."

"You used my name," Ed said suddenly, the realization just dawning on him.

Roy frowned, "Of course I did."

"I mean you called me Ed. Not Fullmetal or Edward."

"Oh," Roy said; blinking in surprise. "I guess I did. Does it bother you or something?"

"No, it's just strange to hear; but it doesn't bother me at all."

There was a knock at the door which stopped both of them from talking. Roy nodded to him before standing and going over to the door. Ed sat up and twisted around to the right so he could see what was going on.

Roy opened the door slowly, his spark glove having appeared on his hands. Riza Hawkeye stood on the other side of the door, a folder full of papers tucked under one arm. "Sir," Riza said; saluting. "I brought the files you requested, permission to enter?"

"We're not at work, Hawkeye; you can drop the manners." Roy said, stepping aside from the doorway. Hawkeye entered and did a quick glance around the room but didn't seem to notice Ed watching them from the couch.

"Mustang," Riza said, turning to the man as he set the files on a desk beside the door. "What's going on with you? You don't look sick and yet you're not coming into work. At least you used to show up to work before procrastinating."

"I told you, Hawkeye. I'm just a bit busy today and can't come into the office, it's not that big of a problem is it?"

"No," she said; then her eyes grew hard. She drew her gun and pointed it at Roy. "Sir, if you don't come with me to work this instant I'll force you to come back."

Roy's eyes didn't widen and his expression didn't change at being held at gunpoint by his Lieutenant; this was a normal occurrence after all. His eyes glanced to Ed and quickly by to Hawkeye. Ed didn't really want Hawkeye to know he was here. It was embarrassing enough to be in Mustang's place, but being found in Mustang's place while looking normal; no can do, not happening. Not yet anyway…

"Riza, just listen," Roy said. "I can ex-" He was cut off as Riza pointed her gun to the wall and fired. The loud noise sent a wave of panic through Ed, he thought he was the one being shot at. Ed cried out loudly at the noise and covered his ears with his hands, drawing his legs up to his chest and beginning to simultaneously sob and hyperventilate.

"Shit!" Roy said. Hawkeye looked briefly confused, her gun focusing on him again as if it was his fault. Roy slapped the gun away from her and shot her a heated glare as he came around the couch to kneel down beside Ed who was close to passing out.

"Ed," Roy called, grabbing both the boy's wrists in one hand and using the other hand to grab Ed's chin and turn the tear stained eyes towards him. "Calm down Ed, just breathe, okay? Breathe." Roy was taking very deep and over-exaggerated breaths to demonstrate, as if Ed forgot how to breathe properly. Slowly but surely Ed's breathing became regular save for the sobs that still wracked his body. Roy pulled Ed into a hug and let the boy cry himself out. It didn't take long this time before Ed pulled away and wiped his eyes, "Sorry," he said.

Roy stood, ruffling Ed's hair. "It's no trouble. Just get some sleep okay? I'm going to be outside talking to Hawkeye if you need me." Ed nodded and laid down again, closing his eyes. In seconds his breathing evened out and he fell asleep.

Roy nodded to himself and quietly gestured for Hawkeye to follow him outside. On his front porch he closed the door to the living room softly and let out a sigh of relief. "I was wondering how long before the panic attacks set in," Roy said to himself.

"Roy," said Riza, a slight quiver in her voice. "What was that all about?"

Roy turned and glared at Hawkeye again. "That, was why I'm busy today. I'd like you to have a little more confidence in me when I tell you I cannot show up to work. And don't ever fire your gun in my household again!"

"I apologize sir," Hawkeye said stiffly, saluting.

Roy sighed, the anger going out of him. "It's fine, Lieutenant."

"Sir, if I may ask, what was that with Edward?"

Roy shook his head and gestured for Riza to sit in one of the porch chairs. She did so and Roy paced before her as he recounted all that had happened since he found Ed on the street to now, leaving nothing out because that wasn't his style.

When he was finished she blinked slowly, taking in the information. "That's a lot to accept, sir. Yet after seeing what happened in there I must accept the story." Hawkeye stood up and placed a hand on Roy's shoulder, drawing his eyes to her. "I'm glad you're taking care of him, sir. That boy's been through hell and shouldn't have had to grow up as quick as he did. I'm glad he has a father like you to look after him."

Roy spluttered and gaped, "I am by no means the boy's father! He hates his own down to the bones, there is no way I'm filling that role."

Hawkeye gave a mysterious smile that only a woman such as she could do. "We'll, see about that sir. Anyway I must return to the office, be sure to do your paperwork." Mustang groaned, rolling his eyes.

"Yes ma'am."

O.O.O.O

Alphonse knelt beside his dad at the transmutation circle they had just drawn in the center of Xerxes. They had arrived late this morning and now as the sun set they had just completed their work. Al was nervous as he could possibly be. The last time he'd attempted such a large transmutation had been when Ed and he had transmuted mom, and that had not gone over well. Now he and dad were going to try to get his body back, what if it didn't work? What if he died? What if dad died? He didn't want his dad dying because of him, he'd never live with himself.

Still every time he tried to object his father would assure him that he knew what he was doing. Al wasn't stupid, he knew there was something his dad knew that gave him such confidence, yet he still refused to tell Al about it. It was maddening to say the least. Still, Al refused to doubt his dad's intentions and so complied with the instructions given.

"Right then," his dad said as he finished the final marking. They were in what must have once been a market place, the buildings all crumbled now; the tiles cracked in areas. "Now that's done, Alphonse do you trust me on this one?"

"Yes, dad," Al said without hesitation.

"Then would you be kind enough to stand in the middle of the circle please?"

Al hesitated, all his doubts riding to the surface in one overwhelming swoop. His dad saw something about the way he stood that clued him into Al's thoughts. "Alphonse," he said gently. "If you don't want to do this you don't have to."

"No, I want to do this. This is what I've been wanting for years now." Al strode into the middle and halted there, still as a post.

"This may tickle a little," was all Hohenheim said before pressing his hands to the circle. There was bright red alchemic light, not unlike that of Scar's; that was the last thing Al saw before it went dark.

O.O.O.O

When Al woke up he was in a white place with a large gate before him. The next thing Al noticed was that he was in his own body, not the armor, but his own. He was pale and thin but he was alive, and breathing. Al poked his own arm and felt the touch, he laughed aloud. This was great! He actually had his body back!

"Not quite," said a disembodied voice that seemed to come from everywhere and nowhere.

Al looked around wildly, his eyes bugging out of his head as he looked around. "Who's there?" he demanded.

"Some call me God, some call me the Truth, I call myself you," said the voice, laughing. Suddenly a faceless form materialized before Alphonse, nothing visible but a very wide grin and it's outline. "Are you willing to pay the price for your body?"

Alphonse felt anger flare up in him, an unusual feeling considering he wasn't normally angry. "Price? What more price can you possibly want from me!? Three years as a soul trapped in a suit of armor, is that not enough for you? The whole point of the transmutation failing, that not enough for you? How about finally being thrown back into my body to find it shriveled up and wasted, that enough for you? No! It's not is it? You just want to take what's left of me don't you, you sick bastard? Well fine you can have whatever you want but don't you dare send me through that gate like you did my brother! You will send me back, in my body, to my dad and that will be the last of our business!"

The Truth actually seemed taken aback by his outburst, its smile faltering. For a minute nothing happened as Al continued to glare at it. Then it's grin returned and it said, "Well someone must pay the price and since you don't seem to be willing to pay for it; I'll have someone else do it for you."

Al's anger turned to fear in a split second as he thought of his dad, what was the Truth going to do to him? It wasn't his dad though that appeared in the room, it was Ed. "Brother!" Al yelled, Ed turned confused golden eyes to Al; which widened upon seeing him.

"Al! You have your body back!?"

"Not yet," Al said bitterly. "There's still a price to be paid, what are you doing here?"

Ed blushed a bit, ducking his head. "I… Uh… Well I was sleeping and then I ended up here. What's this about a price though?"

Here the Truth spoke, "A price for the body of Alphonse Elric must be paid by one who shares blood with him. I figured I'd bring all the candidates in together to decide."

"Well then, Truth. You forgot to invite me to the party," said Hohenheim striding up behind Al and Ed. Al beamed at his father who glared at the Truth. Ed on the other hand reacted more violently to Hohenheim's presence, jumping out of the man's reach quickly lest he try to touch him.

"Ed needn't have been brought here, the price shall be paid by me," Hohenheim stated.

"And what shall you pay for it?" Truth asked cockily.

Hohenheim's eyes narrowed. "I think you know what I'll pay."

"Very well then…"

"Wait! Let me talk to my brother," Al said quickly. Without waiting for the Truth's reply he turned to Ed. "Brother, listen I'm sorry for yelling at you, it wasn't called-"

"Please Al, just stop," Ed said; hurt showing on his face. "I know what you're going to say already, but it's not what you mean. Even if we made up now in the back of your mind you'll always remember the three years I stole from you. I'm glad you have your body back but please… For now, just stay away from me."

Al felt his heart break into two, his brother didn't want him back. His brother didn't forgive him, worse that look on Ed's face was one Al would never forget. "No, I can't accept that Ed! I'll find you! You need me and dad right now you don't understand! You're-"

"I'm dying, I know," Ed whispered. "I'm going to fix myself if I can, but if I can't that's just as well. I won't hurt anyone anymore that way... " Fog swirled around Ed and his form became more indistinct. His voice sounded like it was coming from a long way off. "I'll see you someday, Alphonse. Until that day take good care of Winry; I know she loves you so go live your life. Just forget about me okay? I'm going to be fine…"

With that Ed was gone and Al felt as if the world was coming down on him. He had just lost the person who had stuck by him for three years. Because he had let his temper control him, he had lost Ed. Hohenheim set a hand to Al's shoulder, looking up into the calm golden gaze Al found the comfort he needed. "Don't worry," Hohenheim said. "We'll find him."


	7. Chapter 7 The Offer

Just like to thank you all once more for reading :)

Ed woke up in a cold sweat, the clock read 12, the room was dark; midnight. He wiped one arm across his eyebrows and tried to regain his breath. He was still on the couch in the living room, a fire had been lit in the hearth which was now dying down to embers and ashes. Ed closed his eyes briefly but a wave of panic overtook him at that so he had to open them again. He was afraid of falling asleep apparently.

Waiting for the roiling panic in his abdomen to settle, he thought over the dream he had just experienced. Like his previous nightmare with the cemetery, this one had seemed all too real. What had just happened? It couldn't have been real, could it? Ed didn't know but his thoughts were more focused on how the butterflies in his stomach refused to settle. He was scared of something but yet he could not place what it was that had him so jittery.

Being a logical person even with the illogical Ed thought through what reasonable fears could arise for panic attacks. Was he afraid of the dark? Ed looked to the fireplace where there was a dim glow illuminating the room, no that wasn't it. Was he afraid of the silence? No, that wasn't it either, the droning tick-tock of the clock resounded through his head like drums. That left one possibility, a possibility he did not even want to think about. He was afraid of being alone.

That was stupid though, he had been alone before and had been just fine. Then again he hadn't been sick like he was now, and hadn't Hohenheim stated that one of his symptoms would be panic attacks? Still now he was left with the decision on what to do about it, he didn't want to suffer like this; but then there was the meager scrap of pride he retained to take into consideration. If he succumbed to this now he'd have lost all dignity he had, and that was not about to happen.

Resolute in his decision he drew his knees up to his chest and wrapped his arms around them, determined to sit here until morning. Where was Roy though? Was he in the house at all or was he alone? Maybe he should go look… No, Ed shook his head furiously. He wasn't going to give up like that.

Time passed slowly as Ed sat there, his resolve as strong as a piece of paper before a fan. Somehow though he managed to sit there, with the fear building in him slowly. One hour… Two hours… tick-tock-tick-tock… On and on it went.

From outside something thudded onto the roof that cause Ed to jump and glance up fearfully. When he heard nothing further he just shook his head and chided himself, it was just a squirrel or something. He hated feeling this weak, it was revolting to say the least. Not but one week ago he had been the Fullmetal Alchemist, now he was just… Ed. Not even the Ed after the transmutation, he was the Ed before his mother died, the little boy. It was pathetic.

Ashamed in himself he let out a small whimper when it started raining outside. It had been hours in coming, he knew by how his ports ached. Now his automail hurt and he was acting like a small child, this was just great! Lightning lit up the room and thunder boomed loudly, that was the final straw for Ed.

Forsaking his pride he climbed off the couch and wrapped his blanket around his shoulders before padding up the stairs and down the hall to find Roy. He made it all the way to the door to Roy's bedroom before coming to a halt, his senses returning. What was he doing? This was ridiculous! Roy wasn't his father he could turn to when he had a nightmare, Roy was his superior officer!

Ed turned away from the door and went into his room instead, lightning lighting it up eerily. Ed climbed on top of the bed and wrapped himself in his blanket, curling into a ball. Ed didn't even notice when tears started rolling down his face.

O.O.O.O

Roy woke up around three in the morning because hail was smacking against his window. He cursed softly, it'd be impossible to get back to sleep now. Rolling over in bed he pulled a pillow over his head and closed his eyes tight. When the next clap of thunder came by Roy thought he heard someone cry out. That's odd, he thought to himself, there's no one here but him and…

"Damn," he swore, sitting up in bed. Ed, he'd completely forgotten about the boy after he fell asleep on the couch. He must be freaking out right now. While he had been K.O'd Roy had read up on some books of medical genre so he could better understand what was going on. It was overly complicated and he didn't understand a word of it, so he called Dr. Knox and had him explain what set panic attacks off.

Now Roy climbed out of bed and, dressed in his PJ's, left his room to find Ed. He checked the living room first but didn't see Ed on the couch where he left him. Roy panicked briefly at seeing the empty couch, where could he have gone? Roy went back upstairs and checked in Ed's room where he saw the boy curled on his side, wrapped in the blanket Roy had thrown over him, shivering from more than the cold.

Not wanting to scare him Roy knocked on the door softly, still managing to scare the boy. Ed sat up quickly and looked at Roy, his eyes full of relief. That was an odd look, relief mixed with tears, especially when it was directed at him. "Hey, you okay Ed?" Roy asked gently. Ed started to nod then paused and shook his head, not speaking a word. Roy came into the room and sat down at the foot of Ed's bed, wrapping one arm around the boy and pulling him into a one-armed embrace. Ed didn't cry this time, just held onto Roy's nightshirt.

"Sorry," Ed whispered softly.

"It's no big deal," Roy responded, feeling that this was becoming routine.

Another clap of thunder resounded about the room and made Ed press himself closer to Roy's side. Roy held onto the child, trying to convey that he was safe here, that he could be at peace. Ed calmed slowly, leaning on Roy; depending on him. Roy was perfectly aware that he was going above and beyond what a superior did for a subordinate, he was bordering on fatherhood. No, I am past that line by now, he thought, remembering what Hawkeye had said earlier that day. In a few short days Roy's whole word had been turn onto its head and set to spin, he didn't know if this moment was even real. Was he dreaming it all and in actuality he was back in bed dreaming?

Roy didn't even know for certain if this is what he wanted, did he even want Ed looking to him as a father? It would mean changing the whole way he lived, no more dates, no more drinking, no more fun of any sort really. It shouldn't hold any temptation to him at all… and yet, looking down at the blond head in his embrace, he couldn't help thinking how could he have wanted anything else?

Roy sighed to himself, he'd regret this in the morning, or maybe the day after, or maybe when he was on his death bed. Whatever the case for the moment there wasn't going to be any looking back. He'd regret it one day, but not today. "Ed," he said gently, pulling the boy from his side and making him look up to meet Roy's gaze. "You need to go back to bed and get some sleep, you'll be no good if you stay awake all night." Not to mention I won't be any good, Roy thought to himself.

Ed shook his head wildly and tried to burrow back into Roy's side. "Can't sleep," he murmured into Roy's side. "Scared, ports hurt."

Roy frowned, he didn't know anything about automail so he couldn't exactly help there. He knew Ed was having a panic attack right now, something had scared the wits out of the kid. What was it though that made him attach himself to Roy like this? Was he afraid of the dark or something? "Would it better for you if you slept with me?" Roy asked gently.

Ed gave a nod, or at least what felt like a nod. Roy stood up and pulled the blanket Ed had brought from the living room around the boy's shoulders. Then he lifted Ed and carried him to his room, one hand under his bottom and one on the back of his head. For his part Ed wrapped his arms around Roy's neck and buried his head into his shoulder.

As Roy entered his room a chill went right through him, the kind you get when you feel like you're being watched. He thought for sure at that moment the ghost of Hughes was watching him and laughing his ass off while snapping a million pictures. The thought made him smile.

He set Ed down under the covers and climbed in next to the boy who didn't hesitate to press himself against Roy, seeking comfort. Roy held onto Ed and smiled as the boy swiftly fell asleep, feeling protected and safe. Roy stayed awake a lot longer, listening to the droning rain on his rooftop, thinking the events of the day over. He knew he was moving quickly but in the past few days he had become attached to Edward, he was almost certain the boy felt the same way with him. That brought something very serious to mind, something he thought he was mad to even think about. There it was though, the possibility hanging before him. In the end Roy decided to take a chance on it, and with that resolve in mind he fell asleep.

O.O.O.O

Ed woke up slowly the next morning, his mind clouded with thoughts and emotions. He finally managed to open his eyes to find the sun leaking through the curtains to illuminate Roy's room. Roy's room. Shit, Ed thought to himself, sitting up. He had given in and bothered Roy, hadn't he? He couldn't remember properly, he remembered standing outside Roy's room then some… very confusing memories that didn't make sense. Then he woke up here, what gave?

The next thing Ed noticed was that Roy was absent, but the smell of something sweet was wafting into the room. The problem being, he wasn't hungry. Ed climbed out of bed and padded downstairs to find Roy making breakfast. Making breakfast, not transmuting it like Ed did.

A yawn escaped him and he rubbed one eye while Roy turned from his pancake flipping to look at him. "Good morning," Roy said cheerfully, flipping another pancake.

"Morning, what time is it?"

"Noon," Roy said with a smirk.

Ed blinked in surprise. "Well that's not morning at all now is it? Why did you let me sleep for so long?"

"Because I had some business to attend to when I woke up. That doctor I sent for from Xing? Well he can't make it because it seems the whole of Xerxes has just blown up and there's too much ash to cross the desert. So I had a long phone conversation with him about what to do."

"And?" Ed asked when it seemed Roy wasn't going to say anything more.

Roy grimaced as he flipped a pancake. "You're not going to like it, just warning you."

"Does it involve a needle?" Ed asked, fear climbing up his chest.

"No, nothing like that." Roy tossed the last pancake onto a plate and carried it to the table. Setting it down Roy reached into his pants pocket and withdrew an inhaler. "When I explained that you were having panic attacks and hyperventilating from it the Doc told me to go out and get you one of these." Roy pressed the inhaler into Ed's hand, who stared at it wide eyed like Roy had just put a bomb in his hand.

"You're right, I don't like this at all," Ed said, shoving the cursed thing into his pocket. "Do I have to?" He realized how childish he sounded saying that but he didn't really care, he had lost all sense of dignity last night after all… at least from what he could remember of it.

Roy smiled and ruffled his hair with one hand, "Yes. Don't worry it's just for a little while."

Normally Ed would have broken the nose of anyone who did that to him, for whatever odd reason though he didn't mind when it was Roy doing it. He didn't fully understand why but that was okay with him.

"Come on," Roy was saying. "Let's get some pancakes into you."

The thought of food made him queasy. "I don't think I can, Roy," he said. "I'm sorry, I just can't."

Roy frowned and pressed a hand to his forehead. "Loss of appetite?" Roy asked.

Ed nodded, "Ever since the fight with Al I hadn't been eating that much but now I can't handle the thought of eating food… Can I just go back to bed? I don't feel that well."

"You don't have a fever, but I won't make you eat if you don't want to. Come on Ed let's get you back to bed." Ed allowed Roy to lead him from the kitchen and up the stairs, it was slow moving because Ed frequently had to stop lest his legs give out. About halfway up the stairs though Roy gave up and picked him up and carried him. Ed protested weakly but didn't argue when Roy hushed him. They entered Ed's room and Roy set him down on his own bed, still freshly made.

Ed looked around his own room and blinked slowly. It was a plain room, no personal items, no decorations, nothing to really say it was his room. Ed looked back at Roy, "Can't I go back to your room? It's kind of cold in here…"

Again Roy smiled at him. What had he done to be smiled at so much by this man? "Maybe later, right now I want you to sleep in your own room. I'll bring a few extra blankets in here for you though, okay?"

Ed nodded, not knowing what else to do. Roy turned to the door, about to leave, but he hesitated. Turning back he looked at Ed and seemed to be considering something. Ed didn't fully understand why but he thought that Roy was about to do something very important, ask him something some part of him had been waiting on.

He caught his breath when Roy turned all the way around to face him and said in a very serious voice, "Ed."

"Yeah?" Ed asked, forcing his eyes to stay open.

"How are you feeling altogether, clear headed enough?"

Ed shrugged, "I can think if that's what you're wondering. Why, do you have some long algebraic equation you need me to do?"

"Something like that. Listen, Ed, I was wondering if uhm… Well…" Roy stopped, scratching the back of his head.

"Spit it out," Ed urged.

"Well you see… I didn't know how your relations with your family has been of late and stuff but uh… So you see I was just thinking that hey maybe if... "

"Roy you're not making sense," Ed said. "If you can't get the words for it now that's okay, just ask me later or-"

"Do you want me to adopt you?" Roy blurted out.

Ed blinked, his eyes wide. That was the last thing he expected but yet… had he been somehow hoping for it? They'd only lived together for under a week and yet Ed knew he saw Roy more as a father than Hohenheim. It was a very tempting decision, one he knew would affect his whole life. Unable to think it through at the moment he dodged the question with another question. "Wait, wouldn't that be illegal with Hohenheim being alive and all?"

"He hasn't been documented as your parent for years now, and I know some people higher up on the command list. I can get it passed I believe…" Roy answered, his head was ducked in embarrassment.

Ed closed his eyes briefly, he couldn't believe he was considering it. He had hated the Colonel just a week ago and now he wanted to be adopted by the man, it was maddening. There was no rule of logic to follow this idea, no logical way to take it. So, he decided to be a little illogical, he chose to follow his heart for once.

Ed stood up and Roy looked at him with quizzical eyes. Ed looked up at him and gave him a hard look. Roy opened his mouth, his face apologetic; probably about to take back his offer. Ed threw his arms around the man and buried his head in Roy's chest. "Yes," Ed said, his voice muffled. "I want you to adopt me," he said.

Roy hugged Ed back and laughed a deep laugh. "What has the world come to?" he said.

"Chaos," Ed responded, living in the moment there and then. He realized right then and there he was happy for once in a really long time. He hadn't felt such a level of happiness in so long it almost hurt, but he savored every moment of it. After all, he didn't know which moment would be his last.


	8. Chapter 8 Breaking of the News

A. you again to everyone who read this! It means a lot that so many people took the time to do so... Okay I'm done bugging you now, Enjoy!

Al could stand on his own two feet; the sun was warm against his pale face. He wore a shirt a size too big and pants that he had to tuck into his boots to keep from tripping over them. His hair which had grown long in the gate, had been cut close to his scalp, a shade darker than Ed's. His grey eyes spoke of an intelligence that matched most 40 year old men. The one thing that made him stick out in the crowd was his red coat, embellished on the back with the black Flamel, just like Ed's. He was tired a lot, and hungry a lot more. His dad was doing the best he could but with No money and only alchemy to use it didn't seem likely that they'd make it very far.

They had just made it back to Central after a weeks worth of journeying, a week for his brother to become sicker. Al felt horrible as he ate his third bowl of noodles that his dad bought him at a local stand. Here he was enjoying food while his brother was possibly in the hospital dying from something the doctors couldn't understand. He could tell his dad was feeling a bit guilty also by the way he continuously checked his watch and glanced over his shoulder. They'd have been moving quicker if it hadn't been for Al's body continuously adjusting to his returned soul. It was bothersome and trying but Al would willingly put up with the white flashes before his vision, the occasional stumble in his step, and the headaches as long as he could feel them. Al was grateful for every single thing he could feel, even if some of such feeling was pain.

Swallowing his last bite of noodle Al spoke slowly, unused to the functioning of his jaw and tongue.

"Brother is probably hiding at HQ now. I called Winry yesterday and she said she hadn't seen hide nor hair of him so HQ is the most likely place for him to hide."

"Didn't we check that command building already?"

"We did, but if Brother wasn't there before he probably is now. It's that or he headed out to Dublith and I doubt Brother would face teacher. Even if he did I feel she'd grab him by the ear and drag him to me while chewing him out for being such an idiot."

Hohenheim blinked in surprise. "This teacher of yours sounds like a very harsh lady, who is she exactly?"

Al smirked, "A housewife."

Their waiter showed up at that moment and Hohenheim paid their tab with the little money they had left. Al frowned thoughtfully, it did recently seem like they already had 'just enough' for whatever they wished to by. They always had just 'five hundred cenz more'. It seemed like Hohenheim was transmuting them more cash but for now Al chose to look the other way when he said they had a little more. He wasn't in the military after all, he didn't report this stuff.

Having paid up the two stood and started walking to HQ through the crowd of people. Al made a striking appearance in the crowd, people actually stepped out of his way and watched him walk by. He heard the whispers of people around, none knew who he was. He used to hear whispers about him being the Fullmetal Alchemist when he was in the armor, but he had always been with Brother. No longer in the armor people couldn't place who he was, he was a ghost on the edge of people's thoughts. A phantom of a memory. He didn't mind, people whispered about him and brother before, so now it wasn't that different. He heard a couple people remark on how thin he was, a couple on how tall he was for his age, a few would wonder aloud if he was a state alchemist. Those last ones made Al smile to himself as he walked beside his father. No one had ever wondered if Ed was a state alchemist when he walked by without Al around, yet the first time Al walked down a street everyone asked the same thing.

Al looked up at his dad, his thoughts turning back to his brother. "Dad," he said quietly to get his attention. "What are we going to do for Ed?"

Hohenheim sighed, "I have an idea. It's a long shot I'll say that much. I believe though that if we take Ed with us out to Xing we can get someone to use Alkahestry to heal him. It's worth a try at least, otherwise we'll need a philosopher's stone and I know how that went with you two."

Al nodded to himself, Xing was worth a shot. He just hoped that what Brother had said at the gate, he hadn't meant. Yeah, he could hope.

O.O.O.O

It took three days for Roy to get the papers together. During those days Ed had suffered from a fever and headache like no other. Roy had offered to take him to the hospital which he had adamantly refused. There'd be no hospitals for him, not now, not ever. Roy had to go to work though and Ed couldn't come because of how sick he was. The solution came in the form of Gracia Hughes who offered for Ed to come over to her place where she could look after him. Ed had grumbled to Roy about not needing a babysitter but spent those days at her place in any case. When he felt up to it he'd entertain Elysia, otherwise he'd spend his time sleeping on their couch.

At the end of the third day though it seemed he'd had a full comeback. His head was clear and his fever was gone. He hadn't had a panic attack in a long while, the last one being two days ago when Roy had slammed the car door too loudly. His appetite was still gone but Roy and Gracia were patient with him and at least made sure he ate some soup.

So it was that on the evening when Roy and he arrived back at home Roy presented him with the adoption papers. When they had gotten home Ed had gone up the stairs to his room to get ready for bed, as Roy hadn't been able to pick him up until 11 at night. A while before his fever set in he had Roy refurbish his room so it looked more like Ed actually lived in here. Now the room contained two bookshelves full of alchemy texts. He had a desk littered with papers that Ed had been using for notes on whatever currently interested him. His bed had gone from a tiny blue twin sized bed to a large king bed with a red bedspread and black pillows. On the wall he and Roy had sketched a few complex Alchemy circles together and so he had hung those on the wall. On his door there was a piece of paper taped to it which read in big bold letters "Ed's Room," just to make him feel like he actually lived there. There were small alterations about the house for him as well, a third chair at the table, an extra two armchairs in the living room, red towels placed in the bathroom for Ed to use. Little things that made Ed feel like he belonged there.

He changed into a white T-shirt and some pajama bottoms that Roy had bought him before heading downstairs when Roy called for him. On the couch in the living room Roy was dressed in similar casual clothes, leaning back into the cushions with some papers sitting on the coffee table before him.

"What's this all about?" Ed asked. Roy gestured for him to come sit down, which he did. Roy picked up one of the documents and passed it to Ed.

"It took me a while but I finally got the papers arranged, if you still want to. Since you have been feeling better today I figured it was now or never. You just need to sign a couple areas since Hohenheim isn't here to do it."

Ed looked up at Roy and beamed, "Of course I still want to. Hand me a pen, please."

Roy smiled and passed him a pen. Ed looked down at the document but then realized he had no idea where to sign. "Here," Roy said turning the document over to where three blanks were located. "Adoption in Amestris allows for a new name should you want it. Of course you don't have to, I can adopt you and you can still be named Edward Elric if you want. I didn't want to make the choice for you."

Ed frowned at the documents in confusion. "What's the middle blank?" he asked.

"You don't know what a middle name is?" Roy asked in confusion.

Ed held up his free hand and made a so-so gesture. "I know what it is but I don't know why people have it."

Roy ran a hand through his hair. "Well, it's typically used by parents to name their children after someone important to them. Like a deceased family member, or a famous person in history." Ed frowned, tapping the pen against his chin in thought. "Didn't you have a middle name before?" Roy asked.

Ed scowled, "Van, my middle name was Van."

"Oh," Roy could understand why Edward wouldn't want that mentioned, he probably hated sharing looks as well as a name with his birth father.

Ed suddenly seemed to have an idea, he bent over the paper and scribbled furiously, Roy trying to look over his shoulder but not seeing anything. Ed set that paper aside and held his hand out for the next document to sign. Roy passed him three more papers that needed his original signature. Then when it was done Roy couldn't hold back from asking, "So what did you name yourself as?"

Ed blushed a little and passed him the first paper for him to look at. In his signature chicken-scratch writing the name read: Edward Maes Mustang. Roy smiled broadly at his son, "To be honest with you, that's how I'd have named you anyway." With that Roy pulled his new son into a hug which Ed returned with all the strength he had.

After that Ed and Roy had four days of bliss, enjoying their new roles in life. Ed enjoyed finally having someone to turn to, someone who'd take the time to listen to him and help him. Roy for his part had never had such a large responsibility but after having looked after his team for years, looking after Ed wasn't such a big shift.

Ed stayed on the rebound from the disease he had, much to everyone's relief. The euphoria the boy was under seemed to have given him the strength to cast off whatever he had. So it was that Roy began taking Ed to the office with him where Ed began helping out with the paperwork. They didn't tell anyone about the adoption, choosing for them to figure it out on their own.

So it was that when they showed up to work with Roy's hand on his shoulder and neither boy nor man arguing, everyone thought the end of the world was at hand. Then when Ed began willingly helping Roy with his paperwork, Feury nearly passed out. It wasn't until the two went out to lunch together that the team started gossiping about what could have been going on between the two. Hawkeye had checked the inner office to see if the two had spent the whole time procrastinating from work. Havoc and Breda had been standing nearby when they saw Hawkeye faint. It was too much of a shock to find that Roy's paperwork was completed and ready to go by noon. When Hawkeye had come through the team had decided to search Roy's office for something to clue them into what was going on.

They were met with Alchemy texts and transmutation circles that they did not understand. They found a picture of the team plus Ed on Roy's desk, two empty coffee cups though one smelled of hot cocoa, and a large silver cenz piece that hadn't been used as actual currency in years. It wasn't until Falman had been going through Roy's papers that the team found what they were looking for. Half the reports on the table that hadn't needed to be signed by Roy were in fact signed by Edward. Except that the signature read not Edward Elric, but Edward Maes Mustang.

When Falman finished reading this Feury, Havoc, and Hawkeye fainted dead away. It was left to Falman and Breda to covertly hide the bodies of their fallen co-workers lest Ed and Roy return to find three people passed out. It was back breaking work to move Hawkeye and Havoc into a supply in the outer office, they couldn't even think of trying to move Feury without first ingesting twelve pints of liquor. So it was that they chose to sacrifice the poor man and left him be while they took their lunch hour.

The two men hadn't made it out of the inner office before the doors opened and Roy came back in, without Ed. Roy seemed to key into what was going on with the two subordinates and so shot them a long hard glare. There was a long sweat drop moment before Roy asked them what they were doing in his inner office. Feury took that moment to come through and sit up, groaning loudly, and ask what was going on.

In the outer office Ed was just coming in munching of a chocolate bar he had bought at the market he and his dad had passed through on their way back from lunch. There was a groan from the supply closet that Ed heard faintly as he passed by on the way to the inner office. He stopped and listened, the first groan of a man followed by another groan that rested on another octave entirely. Curious Ed followed the sounds to the closet and opened the door. On the ground Hawkeye and Havoc sat, blinking slowly with one hand on their heads. Havoc being the man he was had accidently placed one hand on Hawkeye's thigh while he tried to get his bearings.

Ed looked them both up and down, taking in the situation. "I knew it," he said before shutting the door on them and walking away; still eating his chocolate bar. Havoc turned to Hawkeye in the dark and asked her, "What does he know?"

There was the sound of a gun clicking into place and the steely voice of Hawkeye responded, "I believe he just saw something that wasn't there. Now if you'd be so kind as to remove your hand from my thigh…" Realization dawned on Havoc and he quickly moved his hand and fled the closet, followed shortly by an angry Hawkeye.

Back in the inner office Roy was looking between the groggy Feury, and the still sweat-dropping Breda and Falman. Then he saw that on the far table where he kept his bottle of whisky and glasses for a hard day at the office had been misplaced. Also some of the whisky was missing, from when Havoc had knocked the bottle over while searching through the office, dumping the contents on the floor. Naturally Roy got the wrong idea. He walked over and picked up the bottle, looking first at it then at Feury.

"I thought you could take your liquor better than that, Feury. Falman, Breda; you two should also know better than to get him drinking during office hours."

Ed had come in the office at this point and took in the scene. He frowned thoughtfully. "So wait," he said; trying to understand what was going on. "Falman and Breda got Feury drunk while Havoc and Hawkeye made out in the supply closet?"

"What!?" said both Feury and Roy in shock at the last part. Breda took this moment to break down in laughter and fall onto the floor.

Havoc came into the room at this moment and hurriedly saluted Roy. "I can assure you, sir, nothing of the sort happened. I swear!"

Hawkeye came in next, her gun still held in a dangerous way; her eyes cold and calculating. "I can also assure you nothing happened between us." She clicked the safety off on her gun again as if to emphasize the point.

"Then why were you two in the supply closet making noises?" Ed demanded, breaking off another bit of his chocolate bar and eating it.

Havoc and Hawkeye's eyes bugged out while Falman fell down beside Breda laughing helplessly. Roy came over to the part of the room where Ed stood and broke off a bit of his chocolate bar and ate it himself. A vein was bulging on his head and Feury was becoming edgy. "Alright, I give up." Roy said. "I don't understand what's up with you people. Just get back to work and leave me be. I think I'm going to need a nap after all this."

"Sir," Hawkeye said, coming forward and saluting. "We were only trying to determine what was going on between you and Edward."

Roy and Ed simultaneously arched an eyebrow at Hawkeye's question. "What do you mean?" Roy asked.

Breda leaned over on the floor and whispered to Falman. "It's creepy how they can do that one eyebrow thing at the same time. I can't even do it, let alone at the same time as someone else!" Falman nodded in agreement as they waited for Hawkeye's reply.

"What I mean is, sir… Well you and Edward haven't been arguing lately and then there's the matter of Edward's attitude and appearance… No offence, Edward."

It was true that Ed's new style had been an object of gossip among the staff. He had been seen on the street a few times by respective military personnel dressed normally. When Edward wasn't in the office he wore jeans and a hoodie like any normal boy did. Riza had seem him at the store once dressed in this manner, she had to do a double check to make sure it was actually him and not just a boy who looked like him.

Roy ran a hand through his hair, the vein popping very much apparent in his current annoyed stare. "I still don't see how that adds up to you and Havoc in a supply closet, and Feury passed out in my office."

"It's… Uh, it's uh.. A long story really…" Hawkeye said carefully.

"Well to answer your question, Riza," Ed said politely, having given the rest of his chocolate bar to Roy.,"The Colonel over here adopted me."

Though Feury and Havoc had no water in their mouths at the time they still did excellent spit takes. Falman fainted, having been doing so good to not faint up until that point. Breda for his part just let out a long "O," sound.

Hawkeye smirked; Roy glared. Then Roy said, "Get Falman out of here and get back to work everyone. We've wasted enough time on personal matters already."

"Sir!" Everyone, save Ed, shouted; saluting. Ed followed the team to the doors of the inner office and waved as they all filed out, Breda and Feury carrying Falman. Once they were gone Ed shut the doors to the inner office and turned to face Roy. They both broke down laughing until they cried.


	9. Chapter 9 Confrontation

Al walked into the HQ building with an air of confidence, he knew who to talk to and where to go; there wasn't going to be any harm here. He and his dad walked to the receptionists desk, there Al asked for the Colonel. The receptionist asked for his name to which Hohenheim had responded as the Rockbells. The receptionist called Roy's room and after a moments pause, waved them on ahead. When they were out of earshot Al asked quietly, "Why did you say we're the Rockbells?"

"Do you really think that Colonel of yours will let us see him if he knew we were us?" Hohenheim had responded. Al thought it over and then nodded in agreement, it was true. Plus if Ed was up there right now he wouldn't be able to hide from them. So it was that they rode the elevator up to the outer office of Mustang's team. The desks which normally housed everyone were surprisingly vacant save Hawkeye's. There was also a suspicious groaning sound from a certain supply closet which Al chose wisely to ignore. Hawkeye looked up as they entered, her face showing her surprise. She stood up and said, "I'll let the Colonel know you're here."

Hohenheim held up his hand and told her. "That's quite alright, miss. We can show ourselves in." They swept by but Al paused when Hawkeye grabbed his shoulder, the touch shocking him as he hadn't felt a human's touch except his father's. "Alphonse, is that you?" she asked.

Al grinned at her, surprised to find he wasn't that much shorter than her. "Yep," he said popping the P. Hawkeye smiled, her eyes turning soft, "I'm glad you got your body back."

"Thank you, Lieutenant," Al said, equally soft in tone.

Then he and his father were at the doors to the inner office, tension between them high. Al took a deep breath and pushed open the doors. Ed was there, dressed as he normally was in the black clothes and red coat that matched Al's own. He sat on the corner of the Colonel's desk, a paper airplane in his hand; amusement dancing in his eyes as he laughed. The Colonel looked equally happy as he smiled at Ed, his right hand moving automatically to sign a report in front of him. Al almost felt guilty for interrupting when it seemed that his Brother was so obviously enjoying himself; despite over his confusion at how his brother can be enjoying himself when he's with the Colonel of all people.

At that moment Ed and Roy noticed him and his father, no their father; his and Ed's. Al expected a multitude of reaction from his Brother, he had visualized this moment forever now. Surprise, shock, joy, anger, sorrow, pain, a whole range of them. What he hadn't expected was for his brother to look afraid. Ed froze up, his eyes wide like a deer caught in headlights.

"Brother," Al said, "It's me."

Ed climbed off of Roy's desk and moved to stand before him. Their eyes never left one another, as the seemed to bridge the gap between two worlds. Ed stopped just before him, his eyes still holding a fear to them. Behind both brother's their respective father's glared at each other, Hohenheim's full of anger and hate; a burning inferno of fire. Hypocrite that he was The Flame Alchemists glare was cold like ice.

"You have your body back," Ed whispered, stating the obvious.

Al nodded quickly, "Dad got it back for me. Now we're going to fix you too, then we can go back to Risembool! Come on Ed, we'll want to hurry." Al grabbed his brother's hand and tugged, urging him to follow him. Ed yanked his hand back and took a step back from Al.

"I don't need any healing," Ed said slowly. "I'm fine where I am."

Al smiled gently, like he was dealing with a mental patient. "No your not Ed, you're dying. It's okay though, dad and I have a way to fix you. We can be a family then and be happy together, isn't that what you want?"

Ed was backing away further from him now, Al felt like he was losing his brother all over again. Ed shook his head furiously, biting his lower lip. "I don't need fixing, and I have a family, one that doesn't blame me."

"Ed, I told you I'm sorry I said that! I didn't mean-"

"Shut up!" Ed yelled. "Of course you meant it, how could you not!? You may not have meant to speak the words but you meant what they said! And It's all true, it's my fault. I don't want to hurt or be hurt anymore, I don't want that life." Tears formed in the corner of Ed's eyes, shocking Al. Ed never got so close to tears so quickly before. "I don't belong in Risembool," he said.

"But what about Winry?" Al asked.

Ed snorted, "What about her? She said it herself, she won't date anyone shorter than herself; and I haven't exactly grown much over here."

"What about me and Dad then?"

Ed was shaking his head again, "Hohenheim is not my father, he's yours. You are my brother and you always will be; but my life is not your life."

Hohenheim and Roy had been warring a silent battle while the boy's warred theres. At this point Hohenheim got frustrated enough to say, "To hell with it, Colonel. I'm taking my sons and leaving." Before anyone could react Hohenheim moved over to Ed and grabbed him by the arm.

No one in that room had been prepared for Ed's reaction. Ed's eyes bugged out of his head and he began thrashing wildly while crying out, trying to break free. Hohenheim was so surprised that he let go of Ed's arm. Ed ran away from Hohenheim and attached himself to Roy who stood, his face full of anger, gloved hands poised to snap.

Upon having Ed attach himself to him Roy instantly calmed and turned his attention to the boy who was now crying while holding on to his uniform. Roy made Ed sit in his office chair and quickly pulled out an inhaler from a desk drawer. He passed it to Ed quickly who took a few quick puffs from it. Al and Hohenheim stared at this process in shock.

After Ed's breathing regulated Roy worked to soothe the boy and get him to stop crying, this taking a combined effort of soothing words and kind facial expressions. When Ed was calm again Roy shot a cold glare at Hohenheim and Alphonse. "Panic attack," Roy said simply as Ed clung to his uniform still.

"See Brother," Al said gently. "You're still sick and need help."

Ed sniffed and buried his head in Roy's chest, "Go away Al," he said. "Haven't you done enough already?"

Al stared helplessly at his brother who was currently being held by the Colonel not two weeks before had adamantly stated that he despised. He looked up at their dad for guidance on what to do. Hohenheim's face was that of rage and hate, the gaze he set upon Mustang was enough to kill anyone in his place. Roy knew he could not die though, and not at the hand of one so low as Hohenheim; after all, he had Ed to watch out for now. That made everything different.

Hohenheim stepped forward, his fists clenched at his side. "What's the big idea Mustang!" He all but shouted. "That is my son, you have no right to him! You have no responsibility to him! Give him here or else, now!"

Mustang pried Ed off him and set the boy back into the chair before standing up and giving Hohenheim a cold look. "Actually I have every right to him, Hohenheim. You see, legally speaking; Edward is my son now."

Hohenheim and Al recoiled in shock. "Brother," Al whispered. "How could you?" Ed looked at Al with tear-stained eyes before looking away, drawing his legs up onto the chair with him and curling to make himself look invisible.

"I'll tell you how," Mustang said, pulling his spark gloves off slowly. "It's because you weren't there when he needed you, you chased him away. Then rather to fight to get him back you ran off and followed your own mission, leaving him behind to be found by whoever came along and gave a damn. Now you come back and expect things to be as they were?"

"Well you're wrong if you think I'll go with you," Ed finished quietly from where he sat. "I moved on…" Ed stood up and walked to stand by Roy and took the man's hand into his own. An act of betrayal to Hohenheim and Al. "Can we go now?" Ed asked, looking up to Roy. Roy bent down and picked up Ed, then proceeded to walk cooly past Hohenheim and Al.

"I assume you can show yourselves out," Roy said over his shoulder, Ed burying his head in Roy's shoulder as he let himself be carried away.

When the two were gone Al and Hohenheim were left staring after for several minutes. Al didn't know what was going on in his dad's head and he certainly didn't know what was going on in his own. It was a jumble of emotions, shock was a big one, followed by hurt, anger, betrayal, and a need for vengeance against Mustang. He couldn't believe how close the Colonel had gotten to Ed in so few days. Ed would never have let himself be carried like that, he'd never have broken down and run to someone like that.

Or did he? Now that Al considered it he didn't really know a lot about his brother. All he really knew was that his brother was strong willed and not one to show his weak side. When Al and he fought though Ed had been released from the pressure of having to be so strong willed, he was free to act as he desired. So was Ed different without the pressure? Was he really that… helpless on a normal basis? Without Al around was Ed that normal of a boy?

"Edward didn't get a childhood did he?" Hohenheim asked.

"Not really," Al said after a moment of consideration. "He had to look after me for the most part, and he refused to complain about anything. He didn't get a childhood after Mom died, he had to grow up for me and for everything else," Al gestured vaguely as 'everything' was quite a lengthy list.

"Then this is probably his mind trying to make up for lost time," Hohenheim said, relief evident in his voice.

"What do you mean?" Al asked.

"I'm saying that this is just a phase he is going through. Soon enough he will start hating his new father and become rebellious. He was always ill-tempered wasn't he? It'll go over quickly enough and then we'll get him back on our side."

"What do we do until then?" Al asked.

"I'm not entirely sure yet," Hohenheim said, scratching his bearded chin. "I guess all we can do now is wait."


	10. Chapter 10 Truce

A. chapters today since they are so short :) Sorry about that and if they are horrible reads, I think this story is going to come to a rapid conclusion here soon because I'm not good at dragging things out -_-

That night Ed had a nightmare of the night he and Al performed the transmutation. In the end he woke in a cold sweat and was unable to sleep. It was around four in the morning when he woke up and he knew very well how much of a little kid he had already acted that night. Going to his dad's room because he had a nightmare again wasn't the smartest thing to do. So Ed got out of bed and pulled on a black hoodie and some dark jeans. Tying his sneakers off he wandered out his room and down the stairs. Unsure entirely of what he was doing, following his heart, he made his way out of the house and began walking down the street. Normally when he wandered out this late he'd be worried about running into any muggers or crooks lurking in the shadows but right now he knew it was the one peaceful time in the night. Too late for criminals to be out, but too early for the common man to be out.

So it was that Ed made his way to the nearby cemetery where he wandered amongst the graves, a set destination finally in his mind. He had stopped at the gate where white roses were growing underneath the moon. Ed picked a few of them and bundled them into one hand before proceeding to the inside. He walked amongst the graves like a wraith, his steps making only the softest of sounds. Ed smiled sadly as he passed by the tombstones, the only markers that someone resided beneath. How long until the military removed the tombstones and build something on top? Making these thousands of people forgotten, losing a grip on the past.

It was depressing to think about, it made him wonder if he was putting a building on top of his own past. He had placed Edward Mustang on top of Elric, letting the present consume his past. Was he wrong to have let it go like that? He felt guilty whenever he considered it too long, but then again feeling guilty didn't mean you were in the wrong completely. What made his choice right though? What made the most people happy? Well he made himself happy, he also made his dad happy. Yet he couldn't erase the look of pain on Al and that bastard's face. They weren't happy with it. That made the score 2/2, he needed more people.. There was the team of course, Hawkeye and the rest; but did his choice really affect them? Dad's choice affected them but not his.

Winry; the thought seemed to be in the air, making him stop in his tracks. Of course there was Winry to consider, after all he hadn't told her or Pinako anything. He felt bad for it but he had come to the conclusion long ago that Winry loved Al and not him, which was okay with him. They were friends still, he just couldn't see himself having a place in their lives back in Risembool. He enjoyed the sounds at night of the cars driving by. He missed seeing the stars, but he enjoyed the lights of the streets too. No, his place was here at Central.

Still the guilt ate at him little by little whenever he was alone, it was like the guilt had its own mind; tearing him apart a little by little.

He stopped at his destination at last, before a lone grave where he knelt and placed the flowers. "Hello Mr. Hughes," Ed said quietly. "I know you probably didn't expect me to come here, especially at this hour; but I had to talk to someone about everything. Not dad because he's a part of it, and I didn't know who else to go to really. I'm so sorry to bother you after everything but…" As Ed talked on he grew calm, talking about everything that had happened to him since the start of this fiasco. Giving an account with additional comments about his opinions on certain things.

It was cold outside and he shivered a lot but he refused to move, his port was beginning to ache but he didn't care. He continued to talk, long past the point where he had anything worthwhile to say. His eyes grew heavy and his shoulders slumped slightly. Finally he was out of words and fell onto his face before the grave as snow started falling around him.

From the trees Al came out and made his way to his brother's sleeping form. Al shook his head, he had heard most of what Ed had to say to the ghost of Mr. Hughes. He could sort of understand why his brother did what he did, but still held firm to his dad's belief that Ed was just going through a phase. A phase that Al may have a chance to end sooner than not. If it was him and dad who brought Ed into someplace warm, maybe he'd trust them more.

Al made it halfway to his brother's side when he noticed Roy was already there, having been previously obscured from view by a large statue commemorating a fallen general. Roy bent down and picked Ed up, cradling the boy in his arms. Roy glanced up from Ed and saw Alphonse, their eyes met.

Roy sighed, "It's a lot easier to hate that father of yours than it is to hate you."

"Really? I'm not finding an issue here," Alphonse said.

Roy flinched slightly, probably from the amount of venom Al had managed to pack into his tone. "Alphonse listen please I was only-"

"I don't care what you were 'only' trying to do!" Al yelled. "You took my Brother from me and our real father you bastard! I absolutely hate you! I'm here now! I'm back in my body and ready to go home with my father and my brother but now he wants to stay here because of you! Bastard Colonel you are you messed with his head and now have him playing your game! How long you going to use him Colonel? How long before you throw him away like trash and leave me to pick up the pieces? When will you be done with him? When you're Fuhrer? or do you have some other end game you'll use him for!?

Roy gaped at Alphonse, his mind as blank as the space between his teeth. That's what Alphonse was angry at him for? Because he believed that he was going to use Edward for personal gain? That was preposterous! Edward was his son, not his pawn.

Bitterly Roy recalled how he had first met the child and yelled in his face. Okay, so he could see where Alphonse got his idea's from, still; that was not his goal! Ed stirred in his arms, his eyes briefly fluttering before shutting again.

"Dad," Ed mumbled in his sleep, his left hand reaching over and grabbing Roy's shirt. "Don't go…" Ed mumbled, his face screwed up from what had to be a nightmare.

Al watched the transformation overcome Roy's face, going from defensive to soft in a matter of seconds. "I'm not going anywhere Ed," the man said gently. "Just go back to sleep okay?"

Ed whined sleepily and seemed to drift back to sleep, his hand not releasing Roy's shirt. Al watched the exchange with a look of bemusement on his face, his thoughts sliding in and out of focus. He hadn't expected to witness such a tender moment like that. He had thought all along Roy was scheming to use his brother to further his own ends, a rung on the ladder to glory. Yet these ideas could not reconcile Al's innate empathy to all things loving and kind; and that instinct told him that Roy's parental-ness of his brother was in fact genuine.

"Do you really care about him?" Al asked quietly, trying not to wake his brother up again.

Roy looked Alphonse in the eye, sensing that this was his one chance to appease the younger Elric. "Yes, I really do. I'm not using Ed to become Fuhrer quicker, I promise." Actually having a child to care for set him behind in becoming Fuhrer, but Roy decided to keep quiet on that comment.

Al backed up a step and the tension in the air vanished, it was like he was calling a truce between the two. "Alright then… I can tell you make Brother happy and that's most important to me right now. I'll leave you two alone," Al turned on his heel and started heading back into the trees when from behind Roy called, "Wait!"

Al paused, turning and giving Roy a curious glance. Roy shifted Ed in his arms and spoke carefully. "Do you and Hohenheim have a place to spend the night? I know it's the middle of the holiday season so the hotels are probably all filling up…"

"We can manage," Al said stiffly.

"I was just going to say you two can come stay at the house with me and Ed. I know he won't be happy to see Hohenheim but you are another matter. The argument hurt him deeply you know."

"It hurt all of us," said the voice of Hohenheim as he walked into the scene.

"Are there any more people hiding in the tree line waiting to come out?" Roy asked curiously.

Hohenheim placed a hand on Al's shoulder, "If you don't mind I'd like to take you up on the offer. With the snow and what-not, I'd rather not be caught outside."

Roy nodded, a truce being forged between the two groups, even if Ed was asleep through the process.


	11. Chapter 11 Time Left

So I'd apologize for not posting sooner but honestly I don't think anyone cared XD So here you go.

Ed woke up screaming. He sat up quickly, his head snapping each way as his scream cut off abruptly, tears streaming down his face. The nightmare had been something beyond compare, too real to be a nightmare, far too real. Now though he couldn't remember the specifics of it, there'd been the Truth again and the gate… Something about prices being paid, then his mind drew a blank. He could still feel his heart pounding with terror though and his stomach doing summersaults.

Ed realized vaguely that he was not in his own room but in his dad's. He remembered going to the cemetery to visit Hughes, then he'd fallen asleep there. Chances were that his Dad had found him and brought him back home, but why wasn't he in his own room? Probably because dad didn't trust him to not run off again.

Ed drew his knees up to his chest and buried his head in them, tears still flowing from the nightmare. His body was shaking all over and it was so cold despite the fact a thick blanket still covered the lower half of his body. The bed sank down as someone sat down beside him, a hand rested on his head. "Hey, Ed," his dad said softly. "Are you okay?"

Ed bit his lip and tried to stifle his stupid tears, he cried way to much these days. Once he deemed he could speak in a normal voice he said, "I'm fine."

"You know I don't believe that right?" Dad said, Ed could almost hear the smirk in his voice.

"Yeah," Ed said quietly, looking up at him.

There was a crash from downstairs followed swiftly by a curse that made Ed's eyebrows shoot up. "Is Al here?" Ed asked. He was a bit surprised if it was, as Al didn't normally curse so colorfully.

Dad nodded his head, "He and Hohenheim came here after a discussion at a cemetery." Dad shot Ed a hard look. "I don't ever want you going to a graveyard at dark without me knowing again, you here? I heard you leave and you scared the hell out of me."

"Sorry," Ed said, sniffing.

Dad sighed and rolled his eyes. "Don't give me that look, I can't stay mad when you're looking at me like that."

Ed smirked impishly, suddenly gaining insight into a skill he could use to get his way later. Roy swatted the back of his head playfully. "Why don't you get to your room and get changed."

"Okay dad," Ed said scrambling away to get changed.

O.O.O.

Roy sighed as he watched his son exit the room, that boy was going to be a handful. That was, if he got to keep him. Earlier when Roy had been fixing breakfast for his guests he had seen Hohenheim reading a law book, that had given Roy a bit of the chills. He didn't want to take this matter to court because it'd just make the rift between Ed and Alphonse all the more apparent, but he'd fight for Ed if he had to. Edward was his son now, not Hohenheim's; and he wasn't about to give him up.

Ed came scrambling back into the room suddenly, fully clothed in a red T-shirt and blue jeans, his feet bare. Roy had enough time to wonder at how the boy could get changed so quickly and braid his hair, then he was tackled by the boy. Ed climbed into Roy's lap and sat there looking up at Roy. Roy had to stifle the urge to laugh at how innocent and sweet Edward looked at that moment, smiling up at him. Roy hugged his son which Ed gladly returned, but didn't leave from his place on Roy's lap.

"What is it you want, Ed?" Roy asked, smiling softly.

"Not to have to go," Ed whispered, the light leaving his eye. Roy saw Ed's gaze twitch down to his hand briefly.

Roy frowned and grabbed Ed's wrist and tugged it so he could get a look at the boy's hand. There was a faint trace of red on his hand that could only be one thing. "You've been coughing again?" Roy asked. Ed nodded meekly, his eyes downcast. Roy buried his feelings of fear for his son and instead lifted Ed as he stood up, balancing the boy on his side like he'd seen parents do with their small children. Ed yelped at the sudden movement and wrapped his arms around Roy's neck in an effort to stay on. "I think it's intervention time," Roy said, holding his son like he was eight rather than thirteen. Sometimes he seemed short enough to be a child of eight, not that he'd ever tell Ed that.

"What do you mean?" Ed asked.

"We'll be asking Hohenheim and Alphonse what they think on the matter, chances are they have the cure after all."

"But then I'd have to go away," Ed said, "And I don't want to go."

"I'm not letting you go anywhere," Roy promised. "I just want to hear what those two have to say on the matter."

Ed nodded but bit his lower lip, a tell-tale sign that he didn't believe him. Roy carried Ed down to the kitchen where Alphonse and Hohenheim sat at the table. When Al saw that Ed was allowing himself to be carried in such a manner his jaw fell open wide. Ed blushed and Roy thought at that moment he'd start trying to break free and pretend that he'd never been caught being treated in such a manner. Rather though Ed, red faced, buried his head in Roy's shoulder and looked to be trying to ignore the other two people in the room.

Roy set Ed on top of the kitchen counter and asked him if he was hungry while he fixed himself a cup of coffee. Ed shook his head and looked down at his hands again which reminded Roy of why the two of them were there in the first place. "Right then," Roy said; looking to Hohenheim and Alphonse, both using their mouths to catch flies. "We need to know if you know how to fix Ed here. He's starting to get worse again."

Hohenheim and Al shared a look before turning back to the other two, everyone's face was solemn. "There may be a way, but you won't like it," Hohenheim said slowly.

"What is it?" Ed asked.

"There's a transmutation we can do that we'll fix you."

Ed frowned, thinking it over. Alchemy to cure a disease? It wasn't so farfetched that he didn't believe it, but it seemed a little odd of a thing to do. Alkahestry would be better suited wouldn't it? "Okay," Ed said slowly, turning to look at Al. "I guess that's one way to do it, I don't see a problem wit-" Ed's eyes widened as he suddenly understood. "No," Ed said quickly, shaking his head. "I'll go to a hospital before I consent to that."

Roy who had been in the middle of taking a drink of coffee did an expert spit take upon hearing those words. He didn't fully understand what the issue with a transmutation was but obviously it was serious for Ed to prefer medical professionals.

Now Ed looked like a cross between a deer caught in the headlights, and a rabbit faced with a large dog. "I'm not doing it no! I'll… I'll die, I just won't do it!"

"Ed please, listen." Hohenheim said, holding his hands up before him.

"No!" Ed all but yelled, he turned quickly to Roy. "Dad, please don't make me do it, please!"

Roy effectively looked torn on what to do. He looked first to his adopted son, then to Alphonse and Hohenheim, then to his coffee mug; looking sad and confused. Finally he sighed, looking resigned. "I can't do it, I'm sorry."

Everyone held their breath.

Roy looked to Hohenheim. "I can't make Ed do what he doesn't want to, there has to be something else we can do."

"Not that I know of," Hohenheim said.

"Then let me enjoy the time I have left." Ed said, folding his arms across his chest petulantly.


	12. Chapter 12 The End

Later that day Ed fell asleep on the couch from pure exhaustion even though he had done nothing all day save for reading. Roy sat on the couch with his son asleep on his shoulder, his book lying forgotten on his lap. Alphonse was sitting in front of the fire, staring at it like it held the answers to every question he had ever asked. Hohenheim sat in the single armchair reading a novel in one hand. None of them had exactly known what to do and so the surreal situation between the two of them was the best that Roy and Hohenheim could come up with. The room was filled with the sound of the fire crackling and Ed snoring softly where moments ago he had been coughing.

Hohenheim suddenly closed his book and looked at Mustang long and hard. "Your gloves are in your back pocket and your arm is encumbered by Ed's weight. I could use alchemy right now and take my sons and go."

"You could," Roy said cooly. "But you won't have to. What must I do to make my son well?"

Hohenheim blinked, looking stunned. Alphonse had turned around to see the conversation and now his mouth was open as he stared at Roy in shock. "You mean that?" Alphonse whispered, trying not to wake Ed.

Roy shot Alphonse a glare. "For your information I care about Ed as much if not more than you two do. So I take great offense at having that."

Hohenheim clapped his hands softly together. "Okay, well if we're going to do this before he wakes up we'd better hurry. Do you have a large enough space to draw a human transmutation circle?"

Roy could tell his face had grown darker as his mind turned to some very unfortunate memories. "Yes, and half a circle already prepared."

Alphonse gasped softly and Hohenheim blinked again. "You?" Alphonse said.

Roy looked away from them and down to the golden head of his son. "Yes," Roy said softly. "I came close to doing it too."

Hohenheim laid a hand on Roy's shoulder, "I'm sorry," was all he said.

Roy simply nodded. "So what do we do now?"

O.O.O.O

Four hours later they had the circle prepared and a sleeping Ed placed in the middle. Roy had been surprised at all the research Alphonse and Hohenheim had managed to put into this, but then again how could he have expected anything less? Roy let them know early on that he had drugged Ed's orange juice so that he'd fall asleep and would stay asleep while they worked. Now though they were time crunched as Ed had begun to stir, slowly but surely.

Roy looked over the circle one last time and then looked to Hohenheim who stood beside him. "Is it ready?" he asked.

Hohenheim nodded his head. "Yeah, it's ready. Listen Roy," here Hohenheim turned to look at Roy Directly. "I want you to stay well away from this transmutation."

"But-"

"I know, you're his father now and it should be you. Thing is though that you are not directly related to him and so I do not want to possibly upset the transmutation."

Roy couldn't argue with that sadly, it made sense that he'd somehow upset it.

"Also… If something goes wrong you will at least be here for him."

"What….?" Roy left the sentence hanging as he was NOT about to say 'what could possibly go wrong' that'd lead to all sorts of issues.

"Been, interesting mowing you, Mustang." Hohenheim said.

"Same here…" Roy said, shaking hands with the man. There was something final in the gesture that neither man commented on.

Then Hohenheim and Alphonse were kneeling by the circle and placing their palms to it. The blue alchemic light filled the room just as Ed woke up and started yelling. Roy had hoped that Ed didn't know what was going on, sadly he was wrong.

The golden eyes saw the circle and Hohenheim and his brother, and then finally they saw Roy. "Bastard!" Ed yelled, his back arching in response to whatever energy ran through him. "You said you wouldn't! You liar! Bastard!"

Roy wasn't able to meet his son's eyes.

O.O.O

Next thing Ed knew was that he was before the gate, again. Hohenheim and Al were there but they weren't there. They seemed transparent which didn't make sense. Ed looked at them as best he can and shot them a glare. "I told you two I didn't want to be transmuted, now look what you did!" Ed suddenly panicked as he made a guess at what had happened. "You're not dead are you!? Tell me you're not ghosts!"

Alphonse looked at his brother sadly. "Sorry, brother. The price was a little more than we had originally thought."

Ed's eyes pooled with tears. "No, no, no, no! NO! That can't be true! Please tell me it isn't so, dad!?" Here Ed looked to Hohenheim.

Belatedly he realized he had called Hohenheim dad and now saw the man's ghostly eyes pool with unshed tears also. "I'm so sorry, Edward. We didn't want to go but this is the way things must be."

"No, please come back! Please! I'll do anything you two want just don't leave me alone!"

"We have to go Ed," Alphonse said.

Ed slammed his foot to the ground. "Why is everyone always leaving me!?" He screamed, but there was no one there to answer him. His brother and father were dead, gone, forever. No, not forever.

"TRUTH!" Ed yelled, spinning on his heel to come face to face with a faceless face with a grin upon it's face. Wow, Ed thought to himself, that sentence would get him some points somewhere for sure.

"Hello, Edward, what brings you here today?" Truth asked, cocking it's ugly head.

"I think you know," Edward spat. "Give. Them. Back."

"Oh, so demanding. Are you willing to pay the price to get them back though?"

"Anything," Edward said.

"Even your newfound dear father? That Mustang man who betrayed you? It's a two for one here, a good deal anywhere."

Ed's mind closed up. He couldn't turn dad in like that for Al and Hohenheim. Roy betrayed him though… yet he had done it because he cared, did that make it wrong?

No, Roy was still his dad. He couldn't. "It's not my life to give," Ed said at length.

"Very well then," Truth said. "How about something equally as precious to you? More limbs perhaps, no… Oh I know!"

"What is it?" Ed asked when Truth failed to elaborate.

"I'm not going to say, you either say yes or no."

"How can I choose when I know nothing about the choice?"

"Well, it hurts nothing but yourself. Also it brings back Hohenheim and Alphonse Elric in their full fleshed bodies, nothing changed since before the transmutation. Also that adopted father of yours won't be harmed. Only something about you will be altered."

Ed thought about it long and hard, then at last he looked up and gave the truth his answer.

Snow fell onto the ground of Munich as Alphonse walked the streets beside his father. "Why are we here, dad?" Al asked. "I thought we were dead and all…"

"I can only assume that it was Edward," Hohenheim said shaking his head. "He must have bargained with the truth to get our lives back but now we're in the wrong world."

"What will we do?" Alphonse asked.

Hohenheim looked down at his fully human son. "What do you want to do?"

Alphonse looked past his father and to the sky, his eyes reflecting his own deep concentration. "I guess today is a good day to start over." Alphonse said at last.

Hohenheim grinned broadly and ruffled his son's hair as they walked off to start their new lives.

O.O.O.O.O

Roy sat beside his bed where Ed slept. After the transmutation had been completed Ed had been there with two human limbs to replace his automail, and they were missing two people. Roy didn't want to think about it, he felt guilty as hell for what could have happened to Hohenheim and Alphonse. He didn't know what he'd tell Ed when he woke up… If he woke up.

He spoke to soon as he noticed that two golden orbs were staring at him intently. "Ed," Roy said is surprise. "You're awake."

Ed didn't respond, just looked at him. Roy bit his lower lip and wondered if something was wrong with the boy's head, or if he was just that mad at him.

"Ed, do you know who you are?"

Ed nodded, "Edward Maes Mustang."

"Do you know who I am?"

"Dad."

"Do you remember what happened?"

Edward swallowed and nodded again, his eyes looking alert now. "I was dying because of some alchemic disease I contracted and you had to use human transmutation to cure me."

Roy frowned, something not exactly adding up in his mind. "Ed-"

Roy didn't get further than that as Ed suddenly sat up and threw his two human arms around Roy's neck. "Thank you for saving me dad," Ed said sincerely.

Caught off guard Roy pulled Ed away and sat him back down on the bed. "Ed, do you at all know what happened to Hohenheim and Alphonse?"

Ed frowned, his brow furrowing in concentration. "Who?" he asked.

O.O.O.O

Riza looked in the room at the sleeping child. Roy stood beside her in the hall talking quietly so as not to wake him again. "So he really doesn't remember anything about Hohenheim or Alphonse?"

Roy shook his head. "He remembers nothing of it. I asked about Winry and Pinako, he remembered them. He knows who we are and he remembers his mother. Any mention of his brother or Hohenheim though and he'll draw a blank."

Riza frowned, it all sounded like a big mess really. "What do you plan to do now?"

Roy shrugged his shoulders, sighing. "I'm going to do the best I can by him. I'm the only family Ed knows of having now really."

"So you won't tell him?"

"Only if he starts to remember. Right now I think it'd be best to let him believe they never existed."

"Is it best or is it just easier?"

"Both."

O.O.O.O

So it was that night and for the night the next week running Ed woke up crying because he had nightmares of a giant suit of metal and a man with gold hair and eyes. He never made the connection nor did any memories resurface. He never even remembered the nightmares when the sun came up.

Each night for the first two nights though Roy came into Ed's room and held his son while he cried, never saying a word; just being there for him. During the third night though Roy had called it quits and despite Ed's feeble protests, had carried his son to his room and let him sleep there. After that Ed automatically slept in Roy's room, neither thought anything of the arrangement, and soon enough the nightmares went away.

Roy explained to his team and everyone else of Ed's 'condition' so as they did not make mention of Alphonse or Hohenheim. Everyone was very kind about the whole thing and so it was that when Ed started going to HQ with Roy after a two week recovery period, he was never none the wiser.

Still though Ed found times where he'd turn to say something and realize no one was there. He never knew that at the same time a world away Alphonse had turned to tell him something about a piece of information he had just learned. Only to realize that no one was there.

Somedays it was hard for Ed as he was taken by bouts of sorrow he could not explain. He felt like someone had just died but he couldn't ever remember who, just the pain following it. Everytime he went to his dad and Roy helped him out as best he could, sometimes just hugging his son was enough. Sometimes it took a long conversation over a cup of hot cocoa. Whatever the case Ed knew he could depend on his dad because he was always there; and he always would be. Because though he did not know it, Roy had made a vow to never again let Ed down.

FIN! Thanks for reading


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